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56th  Congress,  i  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  j  Document 
2d  Session.  f  1  No.  149. 


REPORT 


OF  THE 


IN  TWO  PARTS,  WITH  ATLAS. 

3?  ART  X. 


December  7,  1900. — Referred  to  the  Committee  on  Rivers  and  Harbors 

and  ordered  to  be  printed. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE. 

19  0  0. 


y 


War  Department, 
Washington ,  December  2,  1000. 

Sir:  In  connection  with  Department  letter  of  December  18,  1899, 
transmitting  a  preliminary  report  of  the  United  States  Board  of  Engi¬ 
neers  on  Deep  Waterways,  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  the 
said  Board’s  complete  report  upon  the  subject  of  deep  waterways  and 
routes  thereof  between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Atlantic  tide  waters, 
as  contemplated  by  the  provisions  of  the  sundry  civil  act  of  June  4, 
1897. 


Very  respectfully, 


Elihu  Root, 

Secretary  of  War. 


The  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 


3 


5C  ()49 


C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S. 


3?_A_  IR  T  X. 

Letter  of  appointment  to  members  of  the  Board . 

Act  authorizing  the  appointment  of  the  Board . . . . . 

Appropriations . . .  .  . . 

Organization  of  the  Board _ _ _ _ 

Duties  of  the  Board  . . . . . . . 

Recommendations,  Deep  Waterways  Commission.  1896. . 

Plan  of  report _ ....  . . . . . 

Original  conditions  and  improvements  of  lakes  and  related  waterways 

Hudson  River  . . . .  ... _  ..  ... 

New  York  State  canal  projects . . .  . 

Erie  Canal . . . .  .  . .  . . . 

Champlain  Canal . . . . . . . 

Oswego  Canal . . .  . . 

Cost  of  the  Erie  Canal . . . ..... 

Proposed  ship  canals . .  . . 

Canadian  canals . . . . . . 

Lake  harbors  and  waterways  . . . . . 

Operations  of  the  Board . .  .  . . . 

Outline  of  investigations . . 

Prism  dimensions .  . . . 

Dimensions  of  structures  . . . . 

Dams  and  sluices . . .  . . 

Breakwaters  . . . . . . . . 

Cornell  experiments . . 

Bridges . . . . 

Unit  prices . . . . . . 

Control  of  Lake  Erie . . . . 

Regulating  works  . . 

Effect  on  Lake  Erie  . . . . . . . 

Effect  on  the  Niagara  River . 

Effect  on  Lake  Ontario . . . . . . . 

Effect  on  the  St.  Lawrence  River . . . . . 

Conclusion . . . . 

Niagara  Ship  Canal . . . . 

Physical  characteristics  of  route  . . 

Former  surveys  and  examinations . . 

Deep- waterway  survey . . . 


Page. 

25 

25 

26 
26 
26 
26 
27 
27 

29 

30 

31 

32 
32 

32 

33 
35 
35 
40 
43 

43 

44 

45 

46 
46 

46 

47 

47 

48 

48 

49 
49 
49 

49 

50 

51 

52 
52 


5 


6 


CONTENTS. 


Niagara  Ship  Canal— Continued.  Page. 

Lasalle-Lewiston  route  . .  . . .  53 

Material  to  be  excavated . . . . . .  53 

Streams  crossed . . . . . .  54 

Materials  for  construction . .. . . . .  54 

Estimates  for  30-foot  channel — 

Lake  Erie  regulated . . . . . .  55 

Standard  low  water . . . . . . . . .  55 

Estimates  for  21-foot  channel — 

Lake  Erie  regulated . . . - . . .  55 

Standard  low  water _ _ t . . . .  56 

Tonawanda-Olcott  route . . 56 

Materials  to  be  excavated... . . . . .  57 

Structures . 57 

Estimates  for  30-foot  channel— 

Lake  Eiie  regulated. . 58 

Standard  low  water . . . . . .  58 

Estimates  for  21-foot  channel — 

Lake  Erie  regulated . . . . .  58 

Standard  low  water. . 59 

Relative  values  of  routes . . . . . . . .  59 

Oswego-Mohawk  route . . . 60 

Physical  characteristics  of  route . . . .  60 

Western  division  . . . . . . . .  61 

High-level  project . . . . . . . .  62 

Low-level  project . . 63 

Eastern  division  . . . . . .  63 

Materials  to  be  excavated . . . . . . . .  64 

Railroad  changes . . . . . . .  65 

Bridges  and  ferries . . . . . .  66 

Existing  canals . 66 

Locks  and  dams  _ _ _ _ _  66 

Water  supply . .  . . . . . .  66 

Estimates  for  30-foot  channel — 

High-level  project _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  68 

Low-level  project . . .  68 

Estimates  for  21-foot  channel  — 

High-level  project . 69 

Low-level  project. . .  69 

St.  Lawrence-Cliamplain  route . . . . .  70 

Physical  characteristics  of  route  . .  70 

St.  Lawrence  division..  . . 70 

Materials  to  be  excavated  .  .  73 

Estimates  for  30- foot  channel  . . . . . .  73 

Estimates  for  21-foot  channel  . .  74 


CONTENTS. 


7 


St.  Lawrence-Champlain  route — Continued.  Page. 

Northern  division _  _ _ _  .  _ _  74 

Locks., . . . . .  . . . . •_  75 


Water  supply  . . . . . . 

Material  to  be  excavated _ _ _ _ _ 

Estimate  for  30-foot  channel . . .  . . 

Estimate  for  21 -foot  channel _ _ _ _ 

Regulating  Lake  Champlain. . . . . . 

Estimate  of  cost.. . . . . . .  . . . 

Hudson  River  division . . . . . 

Material  to  be  excavated . . . . . 

Structures . .  . . . . . . 

Stability  of  channel . . . . 

Estimates  for  30-foot  channel — 

With  fixed  dams . . . . . 

With  movable  dams . . . . . . . 

Estimates  for  21-foot  channel — 

W ith  fixed  dams . . . . . . 

With  movable  dams  . . . . . . 

The  tidal  Hudson ...  .  . . . . .  . . .  . . 

Estimate  for  30-foot  channel . . . . . . . ..... 

Estimate  for  21-foot  channel . . . . . . 

Intermediate  channels  of  the  lakes  .  _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Lake  Erie  channels . . . . 

Detroit  River  channels .  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Lake  St.  Clair  . . . . . . . 

St.  Clair  Flats . . . . . .  . . 

Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan . . . . . 

St. Marys  River  .  . .  . . . . . 

Estimates,  Lake  Superior  to  Lake  Erie . . . . . 

30-foot  channel,  standard  low  water  . . . . . . 

21-foot  channel,  standard  low  water .  . . 

30-foot  channel,  Lake  Erie  regulated . . 

21-foot  channel,  Lake  Erie  regulated . . . . 

Estimates,  Lake  Michigan  to  Lake  Erie . 

30-foot  channel,  standard  low  water .  . 

21-foot  channel,  standard  low  water .  . . . 

30-foot  channel,  Lake  Erie  regulated .  . . . . . 

21-foot  channel,  Lake  Erie  regulated. . . 

Comparison  of  waterways . . . . .  . . 

Distances,  alignment,  width  of  channel,  sailing  time,  and  water  levels,  21-foot 
channels: 

From  Duluth  to  Buffalo . . . . . - . 

From  Chicago  to  Buffalo . . .  . .  -  -  -  - 

From  Buffalo  to  Lake  Ontario  Junction  via  Lasalle-Lewiston  route - 


75 

75 
7G 

76 

76 

•yrv 

(  I 

77 

79 

80 
80 

80 

SO 


80 

81 

81 

82 

82 

83 

84 
84 
84 

84 

85 

85 

86 
86 
86 
86 
86 
86 
86 
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86 
86 
87 


89 

92 

92 


8 


CONTENTS. 


Distances,  alignment,  width  of  channel,  etc. — Continued.  Page. 

From  Buffalo  to  New  York  via  Lasalle-Lewiston,  Oswego-Mohawk  low- 

level,  and  Hudson  River  routes  .  _ _ _ _ _ . _  .  04 

From  Buffalo  to  New  York  via  Lasalle-Lewiston,  St.  Lawrence-Cham- 

plain,  and  Hudson  River  routes _ _  _ _  . .  103 

Estimated  cost  of  excavation  and  construction  . . . .  112 

21-foot  channel,  Duluth  to  tide  water . . . .  112 

21-foot  channel,  Chicago  to  tide  water.. . . . . .  112 

30-foot  channel,  Duluth  to  tide  water  . .  . . . . .  112 

30-foot  channel,  Chicago  to  tide  water.  . . . . . . . .  112 

Estimated  cost  of  divisions _ _ .  _  _ _  _ _ _  113 

Summary  of  cost  of  divisions: 

30-foot  channel,  Duluth  to  tide  water . .  .  113 

21-foot  channel,  Duluth  to  tide  water _  ..  _ _ _  _  113 

30-foot  channel,  Chicago  to  tide  water  ...  . .  114 

21-foot  channel,  Chicago  to  tide  water  .  114 

The  relative  advantages  of  the  21  and  30  foot  waterways . .  .  114 

The  lake  traffic  .  _  _ _ _  .  . . . . .  117 

Future  development  of  lake  traffic . . . . .  118 

Grain _ • . .  . . . . .  ...  118 

Iron  ore... _ .  _.  _ _ _ _ _ _  118 

Lumber _ _ : _ ......  _ _ _ ...  _ ....  119 

Coal.. . . . . .  . . . . .  ...  . . .  119 

Summary _  _ _  _ _ _ _ _  120 

Characteristics  of  transportation  lines . . . .  120 

Cost  of  construction  . .  .  .  _ _ 125 

Cost  of  maintenance  and  operation  .  . . 126 

Cost  of  transport  proper _ _ _ _  _ _ _  126 

Traffic  capacity . . . . . . . . . .  126 

Speed . . . . . . . . . . .  126 

Adaptability  to  traffic  conditions . . . .  126 

Regularity  of  service .  . . . . . . .  . .  127 

Influence  on  railway  rates. . . . . .  ...  _  127 

Route  for  ships  of  war . . .  . . . . . .  127 

Shipbuilding...  .  . . . . . . . . . .  127 

Conclusion.  . . . . . . . .  128 

Appendix  No.  1.— Locks: 

Introduction  . . .  . . . . .  129 

Capacity  of  a  lock  or  system  of  locks  for  the  passage  of  ships .  134 

Lockage  capacity  of  the  21-foot  waterway . . .  135 

Lockage  capacity  of  the  30-foot  waterway. . . . . .  139 

Dimensions  of  duplicate  locks . . . . . . . . . .  141 

Lift  of  locks . . . . . . . .  142 

General  description  of  locks . . . . .  143 

Culverts  for  filling  and  emptying  locks  . . .  144 


CONTENTS. 


9 

Appendix  No.  1 — Continued.  Page. 

Character  of  masonry . .  . . .  146 

Lock  gates.. . . . . . . .  146 

Operating  machinery . . . . .  146 

Estimate  of  cost . . . . . .  147 

Appendix  No.  2.— Lock  Gates. 

Introduction . . 148 

Choice  of  type . . . . . . . .  150 

Material . 151 

Wood  and  steel . . .  151 

Rise  of  sill  .. .  . . . . . . . . .  152 

Air  chambers . . 152 

Quoin  post . . . . . . . *. . .  .  . . .  154 

Miter  post .  . . . . . . . .  ...  155 

Examination  of  laws  of  intensity  of  pressure  on  timber-bearing 

face  . . . . .  . . . .  156 

Analysis  for  cylindrical  faced-bearing  blocks . . .  161 

Framing... . 164 

Horizontal  frames . 165 

Three  investigations  to  determine  weights  of  different  types. .  166 

Proportioning  of  horizontal  frames . 169 

Vertical  framing _ _ _  _  . . . . .  173 

Effect  of  vertical  stiffness _ _ _ _ _ _  174 

Sheathing . . . 194 

Pivot . . . . . . .  . .  195 

Upper  hinge . . . . . .  .  195 

Sill  contact . 196 

Footbridge . . 196 

Estimates  . . . . .  . . . .  197 

Bibliography  of  articles  on  mitering  lock  gates _  ...  . .  200 

Appendix  No.  3. — Breakwaters  at  Canal  Entrance,  Oswego  and 
Olcott,  N.  Y.: 

Oswego . 208 

Plan  of  the  breakwaters  . . . . . .  208 

Character  of  structures  . . . . .  209 

Method  of  construction  and  cross  section  . . . .  212 

Substructui'e .  212 

Superstructure .  213 

Material . 214 

Light-house  and  fog  signal .  214 

Estimate  of  cost  . . 214 

Olcott . . 214 

Plan  of  the  breakwaters . . . 215 

Character,  construction,  and  cross  section  of  the  breakwaters .  215 

Estimate  of  cost . 215 


10 


CONTENTS. 


Appendix  No.  3 — Continued.  '  Page. 

Breakwaters  for  a  waterway  having  a  depth  of  21  feet .  216 

Oswego _ _ _ _ _  ...  . . .  216 

Estimate  of  cost . . . . . .  .....  216 

Olcott . . . . . . . . . . . —  216 

Estimate  of  cost . . . . . . . .  . . . .  216 

Plans  of  proposed  breakwaters  at  Oswego  Harbor. .  .  216 

Diagrams  of  proposed  breakwaters,at  Oswego  Harbor .  216 

Plans  of  jiroposed  breakwaters  at  Olcott  Harbor .  . .  216 

’  Diagrams  of  proposed  breakwaters  at  Olcott  Harbor. . . .  216 

Appendix  No.  4. — Speed  of  Ships: 

Speed  of  ships  in  the  proposed  deep  waterway  .  216 

Dimensions  of  waterway . . . . . .  217 

Type  of  ships . . . . . . .  218 

Principal  causes  of  reduction  of  speed  of  ships  in  restricted  waterways.  219 

Retardation  in  shoal  water . . . . . .  220 

Retardation  from  back  flow . . .  . . . .  221 

Retardation  from  end  resistance . . . .  . . . . .  222 

Limit  of  speed  to  avoid  undue  injury  to  side  slopes  of  channel . . .  223 

Suez  Canal . . .  . . ._  .  . . . . .  223 

Amsterdam  Canal _ _ _ _ _ _ _  224 

Kiel  Canal .... _ _ _ _ _ _ - . . . .  224 

Manchester  Canal . . . . . . . . .  224 

Speeds  of  loaded  boats  in  St.  Clair  Flats  Ship  Canal . . . .  226 

Speed  of  ships,  tables  of . . . . .  . . . .  231 

Summary . . . . . . . .  233 

Value  of  the  results  . . . . . . .  234 

Appendix  No.  5: 

Part  1. — Comparison  of  Waterways . . .  235 

The  Niagara  Ship  Canal  routes . .  . . . .  241 

Waterways  from  Lake  Ontario  to  the  Atlantic  . . . .  242 

Part  2.— Relative  Advantages  of  the  21  and  30  foot  Waterways.  247 

Relative  direct  advantages . . . .  247 

General  considerations  relating  to  lines  of  transportation .  247 

Assumptions  used  in  the  special  problem  . .  250 

The  waterways . . . . . ' . .  251 

The  type  carriers . . . . .  252 

The  data  for  comparison . . .  254 

1.  Constants  of  the  waterway . . . .  255 

2.  Constants  of  traffic  volume. . . . . . .  255 

3.  Constants  of  transport  ........  .  . .  256 

4.  Constant  of  return  for  the  standard  waterway _ _  257 

Comparison  of  the  waterways . . . . .  260 

1.  Thirty-foot  waterways  . . . . .  260 

2.  Twenty-one  foot  waterways . . .  260 

3.  Twenty-one  and  30  foot  waterways _ .  ..  .  260 


CONTENTS. 


11 


Appendix  No.  5— Continued. 

Part  2.— Relative  Advantages,  etc.— Continued. 

Relative  indirect  advantages . . . 

The  lake  traffic  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Future  development  of  lake  traffic _ . .  . . . . 

Grain  _ . . . . . . . . . . 

Iron  ore . . . . . . . 

Lumber . . . . . .  . . . 

Coal . . . 

Summary . . . . . . . . . 

Characteristics  of  transportation  lines ...  . . .  _ 

Cost  of  construction .  . . .  . . . . 

Cost  of  main  enance  and  operation _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Cost  of  transport  proper  . . . . . . 

Traffic  capacity . . . . . . . 

Speed  . . . . . 

Adaptability  to  traffic  conditions . . . . 

Regularity  of  service . . . . .  . . 

Influence  on  railway  rates .  . . . 

Outlet  for  the  lake  fleet . 

Route  for  ships  of  war  . . . . . . . 

Shipbuilding . . . . . . . . . 

Conclusion  . . . . . 

Appendix  No.  G.— Lake  Erie  Regulation: 

Lake  regulation  _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Effect  on  level  of  Lake  Ontario  and  St.  Lawrence  River. . 

Effect  on  the  connecting  waterways  of  the  upper  lakes . . . . 

Regulation  of  Lake  Erie _ _ _ _  _ _ 

Wind  effect . . . .  . . . 

Proposed  location  of  works .  . . . .  . 

Design  of  structures . . .  .  . . ^  _ . 

Estimate  of  cost  of  regulating  works  . . . . . 

Estimate  for  channel  between  Lake  Erie  and  Niagara  River  below  the 

gorge. . .  . . . . . .  . . 

Benefits  to  be  derived. . . . . .  . 

International  features  . . .  . 

Summary... . .  . . . . . . . 

Appendix  No.  7.— Niagara  River  Discharge: 

Introduction . .  .  — . . . 

The  discharge  section . . . . . 

Water  gauges . . . . . . . . 

Outfit  for  current  observations . . . . . 

Reel . . . . . —  . 

Current  meters  and  recording  device..  . . 

List  and  description  of  current  meters  used  . 


Page. 


262 

262 

263 

264 
204 

265 
265 

265 

266 
271 

271 

272 
272 
272 
272 
272 

272 

273 
273 
273 
273 


273 

277 

279 

282 

292 

293 

293 

294 


295 

295 

297 

297 

298 

299 

300 

301 
301 

301 

302 


12 


CONTENTS. 


Appendix  No.  7— Continue.!.  Page. 

Rating  of  current  meters . .  _ . . .  .  302 

R  ating  equation . _ . _ . .  303 

Summary  and  comparison  of  meter  ratings . . . .  305 

Meter  observations . . . _ . _ . . .  306 

Observations  for  discharge . . 306 

Observations  for  vertical  curves _  . .  _ . 309 

Observations  for  transverse  curves . 309 

Observations  for  direction  of  current . . 310 

* 

Observations  for  mean  direction  of  flow  of  the  river  . . .  310 

Observations  for  the  direction  of  the  normal  to  the  line  of  the  dis¬ 
charge  section . . .  .  - -  310 

Reduction  of  observations — 

Area  of  cross  section  at  bridge .  . . . .  311 

Vertical  curves  and  transverse  curves  . . .  311 

Mean  velocity  coefficients _ . .  . .  . . .  313 

Curves  of  fall  on  Niagara  River. .  315 

Computations  for  discharge . .  316 

Appendix  No.  8.— Regulation  of  Lake  Champlain: 

Introduction. .  .  . . . . . .  321 

Slope  and  discharge  curve  of  the  Richelieu  River . . .  322 

Monthly  mean  elevations  of  Lake  Champlain  at  Fort  Montgomery,  N.  Y., 

1875-1898  . . . . . . . . .  323 

Monthly  mean  discharge  of  Lake  Champlain,  1875-1898.. .  324 

Mean  monthly  storage  and  supply  to  Lake  Champlain,  1875-1898 .  325 

Regulating  works  . . .  326 

Appendix  No.  9 : 

Part  1.— Instructions  from  Secretary  of  War  for  Guidance  of 
Board— 

Amendments  to  orders  of  August  31,  1897.. .  328 

Authorizing  expenditure  for  material  and  assistance _ _  328 

Appointment  of  James  H.  Kidd  as  special  disbursing  agent.  .  328 

Approval  of  accounts  by  president  of  the  board.  _ _ _  328 

Traveling  expenses. . 329 

Form  of  accounts  to  be  kept  by  disbursing  officer  .  . .  329 

Payments  by  disbursing  officer . . . . .  330 

Expenses  of  employees . . . . . .  331 

Approval  of  contracts  by  the  board . . .  332 

Vouchers  and  receipts  ... . . . . .  .  332 

Property  of  board . .  . . . .  333 

Observation  of  United  States  Army  Regulations. .  333 

Part  2.— Instructions  to  Field  Parties— 

Organization . 334 

Methods  of  work . . 334 

Reconnoissance . 334 

Topography . 335 


/ 


CONTENTS. 


13 


Appendix  No.  9— Continued.  Page. 

Part  2. — Instructions  to  Field  Parties — Continued. 

Transit  fines _  ...  . . . . .  335 

Levels  _  _ _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _  335 

Methods  cf  stadia  work . .  .  ...  336 

Borings  . . . . . . . . . . . .  337 

Reduction  of  notes _ . .  ^ . . .  337 

Plotting  of  field  notes . . . .  . . . .  337 

Finishing  field  sheets  and  reductions  . . .  .  337 

Reports _  _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _  _ _  338 

Appendix  No.  10.— Niagara  Route;  Champlain  Route  (Hudson  River 
Division);  Flood  Measurements  of  Mohawk  River;  Levels  from 
Hudson  River  to  Lake  Ontario: 

Introduction _ _  _ _ _ _ _  338 

Surveys _ _ _ _ _  _ _ _ _  340 

Borings  . . . . . . . . . .  341 

Lasalle-Lewiston  route  _ _ _ _ _  343 

Material _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _ _  343 

tirades . . . . . . . .  346 

Locks  . . . . . . .  . . .  347 

Streams  crossed  . . . . . . . . .  349 

Descriptions  and  estimates _ _ _  351 

Tonawanda-Olcott  route  . . . . . . .  355 

Diamond  drill  borings _ _ _ _ _ _ _  356 

Grades  and  locks _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  358 

Power . . . . . . . .  .  359 

B  Line . . . . . . . .  360 

Harbor  . . . . . . . .  . . . .  360 

Descriptions  and  estimates _ _ _ _ _ _ _  363 

Waterway  from  Lake  Champlain  to  Hudson  River  at  Troy  (Champlain 

route,  Hudson  River  division) _  _ _ _ _  368 

Surveys  _ _ _ _ _  _ _ _  369 

Borings _  _ _ _ _ _  371 

Cost  of  work . . . . . . . . . .  372 

Alternate  plan  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  383 

Description  and  estimates . . ..  . .  384 

Flood  discharge  measurements  of  Upper  Mohawk  and  other  streams. ..  390 

Report  on  results  of  two  lines  of  levels  from  Greenbush  bench  mark  to 

Lake  Ontario. - - - -  - -  -  392 

Appendix  No.  11. — Champlain  Route,  St.  Lawrence  Division: 

Introduction _ ...  . . . . . . . 398 

High  and  low  stages  of  the  river. . . . . .  399 

Gauge  readings. . . . . . . . . . .  399 

Comparison  of  high  water,  1886,  and  low  water,  1895,  of  Lake  Ontario 
with  the  St.  Lawrence  River  through  Lake  St.  Francis.  . .  .  400 


14 


CONTENTS. 


Appendix  No.  11— Continued.  Page. 

Various  gauge  readings  and  differences  .  . .  .. .  .  401 

Location  of  gauges  established  and  elevation  of  water  surface _ _  403 

Elevations  of  standard  low  and  high  water _ _ _  404 

Effect  of  ice  jams . . __  . . . . .  404 

General  topography  and  material  encountered. . . . .  405 

Route _ _ _ _ _ _  405 

Estimates,  30-foot  channel . . . . . . .  407 

Summary _ _ _ _ - .  415 

Estimates,  21-foot  channel . . . . . . . .  416 

Summary . . . . . . . . .... .  420 

Summary  of  quantities  and  cost,  30-foot  channel . . .  420 

Summary  of  quantities  and  cost,  21-foot  channel.  . _ . .  .  ..  422 

Locks . . . .  . . . . . .  423 

Classification  of  channel . . . .  . . .  .  ..  424 

Appendix  No.  12. — Champlain  Route,  Northern  Division  : 

General  description  of  country  between  St.  Lawrence  River  and  Lake 

Champlain. _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _  425 

General  description  of  the  surveys . . . .  . .  427 

Conditions  governing  the  location _ _ _ _ _  428 

Regulation  of  surface  of  Lake  Champlain . . . .  429 

Proposed  regulating  works .  _  _  _ . . _  _  _  430 

Gaugings.  Richelieu  River _  _ _ _ _  431 

Locks  . . . .  . . . . .  ...  . . . .  432 

Receiving  weirs  . . . . . . . . . . .  432 

Chateaugay  River,  crossing  of . . . . . .  .  434 

Railroad  and  highway  crossings . . . . . .  436 

Classification  of  excavation _  _ _ _ _ _  437 

Photographs  of  rock  outcrops _ _ ... . .  439 

Details  of  alignment _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  438 

Bridges . . . . . . . . . . . .  439 

Locks _ _ _ _ _ _  439 

Estimate  of  cost  of  30-foot  and  21-foot  channels . . .  439 

Appendix  No.  13.— Oswego-Mohawk  Route,  Western  Division: 

General  description _ _ _ _ _ _  443 

Detailed  description  and  estimates . . . . . . .  446 

Locks  for  high-level  plan  . . . . . .  453 

Bridges  for  high-level  plan  . . . . . .  454 

High-level  plan . . . . . . . . .  454 

Estimates  for  high-level  plan . . . .  .  455 

Alternative  routes  and  plans . . . . . . ...  _  462 

Change  in  locks . . . . . . .  466 

Changes  in  railroads  and  highways  . . . . . . .  466 

Right  of  way .  . . . . . . . . . .  468 


CONTENTS. 


15 


Appendix  No.  13 — Continued.  Page. 

Low-level  plan . . 468 

Locks . . . 471 

Bridges . 471 

Low-level  plan .  . . . ..  . . . . . .  472 

Est.  mates,  low-level  plan _ _  _ _ _ _ _  472 

Water  supply,  low-level  plan . . . . .  479 

Rainfall  and  run-off  for  storage  period... _ _ _ _  480 

Precipitation  records _ . . _  _ _ _  _ _ _ _  480 

Precipitation  on  Oneida  and  Upper  Mohawk  watersheds .  484 

Description  of  surveys . . 487 

Approximate  statement  of  monthly  progress  of  field  work _  491 

Triangulation . . . . .  . . . . . .  491 

Mapping . .  . . . . . . . 496 

Appendix  No.  14. — Oswego-Mohawk  Route.  Eastern  Division: 

Instructions . . .  . . . . . . .  500 

Organization . . . . . . . . .  500 

Method  of  work,  with  results  obtained  .... . . . .  500 

Transit  work  . .  . . . . . .  500 

Level  work  . . . . . . . . .  502 

Stadia  work . . . . . . . .  503 

Comparison  of  base  line  and  stadia  work . . . . .  505 

Soundings . . . . . . .  507 

Borings .  . . .  ..  . . . . . . . .  507 

Showing  number  of  borings:  material  penetrated;  average  cost  perfoot.  510 

Office  work  in  assistant  engineer’s  office . . . . .  510 

Office  work  in  Detroit  office .  . . . . .  511 

Routes  surveyed . . 511 

Oswego  route  proper . . . . . . . . .  511 

Field  work .  .  _ . . . . .  512 

Reduction  of  field  notes  and  map  work.. . . . .  512 

Artificial  features . . . . . .  513 

Railroads . . 513 

Existing  canals  . . . 513 

Dams . . . . . . . . .  514 

Bridges,  aqueducts,  and  ferries .. .  .  . . . . .  515 

Character  and  location  of  bridges  . . . . f . .  517 

Physical  characteristics . 519 

Material . 519 

Summary  of  material  . . . .  .  522 

Watercourses . 523 

High-water  marks.. . .  . . . . .  523 

Canal  location  and  conditions  governing  the  same .  .  526 

Conditions  considered  in  comparing  30-foot  and  21-foot  channels  . . .  529 


/ 


16 


CONTENTS. 


Appendix  No.  14 — Continued.  Page. 

Niskayuna- Albany  route  via  Shakers  .  . . . . .  534 

Niskayuna- Albany  route  via  Town  House  Corners - -  535 

Schenectady-Cedar  Hill  route, . .  ..  . .  536 

Schenectady-Normans  Kill  route.. .  .  517 

Fieldwork  . .  . . . . . .  537 

Office  work. . .  . —  . . . .  538 

Artificial  features  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 538 

* 

Railroads . . . . .  . . . _ . .  538 

Dams  . . . . . . . - .  538 

Highway  crossings  _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _  539 

Physical  characteristics . . . . . . .  539 

Material  . . . . .  . . . .  .  539 

Water  courses  and  high-water  marks  _  . . . .  . . .  542 

Canal  location  and  conditions  influencing  its  selection _ _  543 

Thirtv-foot  adopted  channel . . . . . . . .  545 

W ater  supply . . . . . . . .  545 

Areas  of  30-foot  canal  prism  in  earth  and  rock . . . .  546 

Dams  for  30-foot  and  21-foot  channels . . . . . . _ .  546 

Locks  for  30-foot  and  21-foot  channels . .  . . .  547 

Bridges  for  30-foot  and  21-foot  channels . . . .  548 

Twenty-one-foot  adopted  channel  . . . . . .  548 

Areas  of  21-foot  canal  prism  in  earth  and  rock . . . . .  549 

Estimate  of  cost  of  construction  of  30-foot  channel . . . .  550 

Summary  of  cost  of  construction  of  30-foot  channel. . . .  556 

Estimate  of  cost  of  construction  of  21-foot  channel .  556 

Summary  of  cost  of  construction  of  21-foot  channel. .  . .  561 

Conclusion .  . . . . . . . . .  ...  561 

Appendix  No.  15— Tidal  Hudson: 

Introduction  . . . . . . . . . .  562 

Low  water _ _ —  . . .  . . . . . .  563 

Tides,  table . . . . . . . . . .  564 

Surveys  . . 564 

Levels . . 565 

Soundings . . .  . . . . . . .  565 

Borings . . . .  . . .  . . . .  566 

Plotting . . 567 

Alignment  . 567 

Width  of  channels . . . . . . . . . . .  567 

Cross  section  . . . . . . .  .  568 

Bridges  . . . . . . . . . .  568 

Dam  at  Troy.  N.  Y .  . . . .  569 

Deposit  of  waste  material  _ _ _ _ _ _ _  569 

Character  of  material  to  be  excavated . . .  569 


CONTENTS. 


17 


Appendix  No.  15 — Continued.  Page. 

Quantities _ _ _ _  _  . . . . . .  569 

Estimates,  30-foot  channel ....  _  . . . ...... . .  . ....  570 


PjART  II. 

Appendix  No.  16. — Special  Water-Supply  Investigation: 

Sources  of  water  supply  for  Oswego  Mohawk  route . . . .  571 

Reconnoissance . . . . . .  . .  572 

Catchment  areas  and  maps . . . . . . . . . . .  576 

Run-off  data  of  streams  in  New  York  State . . . . .  579 

Tables  of  run-off  _  _ _ _ .....  . .  588 

Gauging  of  New  York  streams  tributary  to  deep  waterways.  _ _  586 

Tables  of  run-off _  _ _ _ _  599 

Methods  of  computing  flow  over  dams  _ _ _ _ ...  _  606 

Tables  of  value  of  m . . . . . . . . .  609 

Bazin's  experiments  on  wiers  . . . . .  . . .  610 

Data  used  for  discharge  curves _ _ _ _ _  639 

Description  of  Bazin's  experiments . . . . . . .  646 

General  resume  of  Bazin's  experiments  .  . . . .  653 

Tables  of  Bazin's  experiments . . .  653 

Cornell  University  experiments  . . . .  669 

Tables  of . . . . . . . . .  . .  678 

Records  of  precipitation,  New  York.  . . . . . . . . .  692 

Meteorology  of  New  York  State  and  relation  of  rainfall  to  run-off _  777 

Flood  flows  of  streams  in  New  York  State. . . . ...  789 

Tables  of . . . . .  790 

Land  and  water  surface  evaporation  in  Oswego  River  Basin. .  812 

Probabilities  of  floods  in  any  given  month  in  central  New  York  _  814 

Control  of  floods  in  Mohawk  V alley  . . . . . . . .  816 

Estimate  of  summit  level  water  supply . . . .  818 

W ater  supply  for  low-level  ship  canal _ _  _ _ _ _  824 

Water  supply  from  State  reservoirs  on  Mohawk-Susquehanna  divide. ..  825 

Description  of  Black  River... . . . .  . . .  827 

City  of  Watertown. . . . .  . . . .  837 

Water  power  on  Black  River  .  .  .  .  .  841 

Water  power  of  streams  tributary  to  proposed  Black  River  feeder _  856 

Black  River  Reservoir . . . . .  864 

Salmon  River  Reservoir. ..  . . .  873 

Discussion  of  proposed  Black  River  feeder  .. .  . . .  881 

Complete  estimate  of  cost  of  Black  River  feeder . .  911 

Estimate  of  cost  of  alternative  tunnel  line .  .  939 

Source  of  materials  and  their  cost. .  944 

Prices  used  in  estimates. . .  . .  946 

H.  Doc.  14-9 - 2 


18 


CONTENTS. 


Appendix  No.  17.— Lake  Channels:  Page. 

Authorities,  soundings  and  borings . . .  .  .  951 

Water-surface  elevations— 

Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Huron . .  . . . .  952 

St.  Marys  River . . . . . . .  952 

Width  and  depth  of  channels . . . . . . .  . . . .  953 

Locks  at  Sauit  Ste.  Marie  . . . . . . .  953 

.Estimates,  21-foot  channel — 

Standard  low  water . . . .  953 

Lake  Erie  regulated _ _ . _ . . _  954 

Estimates,  30-foot  channel — 

Standard  low  water . . . . . . . .  .  954 

Lake  Erie  regulated _ _ _ _ _ _ . .  955 

Appendix  No.  18. — Character  of  the  Materials  on  Deep-Waterway 
Routes: 

Introduction  _ . . . . . . .  957 

Lasalle-Le wiston  route  _ _ _ _ _  958 

Table  of  materials . .  . . . . .  958 

Tonawanda-Olcott  route . . . . . .  .  960 

Table  of  materials  . . . .  . . . . . . .  960 

Oswego-Mohawk  route,  western  division . . . .  962 

Table  of  materials  ...  .  . . . . . . .  962 

Oswego-Mohawk  route,  eastern  division _ _ _ _ _ _  964 

Table  of  materials .  . . . .  964 

Champlain  route,  St.  Lawrence  division _ _ _  967 

Table  of  materials  . . . . . . . . . .  967 

Champlain  route,  northern  division . . .  . .  969 

Table  of  material . . . . . . .  969 

Champlain  route,  Hudson  River  division _ _ _ _  971 

Table  of  materials . . . . . .  971 

Hudson  River _ _ _i . .  . .  973 

Appendix  No.  19.— Diamond-Drill  Borings. 

Introduction. . . . . . . . . .  974 

Tonawanda-Olcott  route ... . . . . . . .  976 

Lasalle-Lewiston  route  .  ...  ...  . . . . . .  980 

Oswego-Mohawk  route,  western  division . .  981 

Champlain  route,  northern  division _ _ _ _ _ _  984 

Distribution  of  time — 

Tonawanda-Olcott  route _ _ _ _ _ _ _  985 

Lasalle-Lewiston  route . . . . .  986 

Oswego-Mohawk  route,  western  division  . . .  986 

Champlain  route,  northern  division . . .  986 

Carbon  losses . . . . . . . . .  987 

Cost  of  borings — 

Lasalle-Lewiston  and  Tonawanda-Olcott  routes . .  988 

Oswego  Mohawk  route,  western  division  . . . . .  989 


CONTENTS. 


19 


Appendix  No.  19 — Continued.  Page 

Cost  of  borings— Continued. 

Champlain  route,  northern  division _ _ _ _  _  989 

Compared  with  probable  cost  if  work  had  been  done  by  contract _  990 

Appendix  No.  20. — Precise  Levels  along  St.  Lawrence  River  and 
Lake  St.  Clair: 

Introductory  remarks  .... _ _  _  _ _ _  991 

Description  of  instruments  _ _ _ _ _ _ _  992 

Bench  marks . . . . . . .  995 

Sources  of  error . . . . . . . . . .  ..  995 

Instrument  constants . . . . . . .  999 

Methods . . . . . .  1090 

Sample  of  notes  kept .  .  . . . . . .  _  1 002 

Sample  of  index  page  for  field  notebooks _ _ _ _  1004 

Statistics  of  work _  _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _  1005 

Cost  of  work . . . . .  1007 

Table  of  slope  observations  of  St.  Lawrence  River  between  St.  Regis 

and  Cape  Vincent,  N.  Y _ _ _ _ _ _ _  1008  • 

Table  of  slope  observations  on  Lake  St.  Clair  between  Windmill  Point 

and  New  Baltimore. _ _ _ _  _ _  1009 

Appendix  No.  21. — Precise  Lea'els  along  Detroit  and  St.  Clair  Rivers  : 

Methods  of  work .  . . . .  1010 

Field  computations . . . . .  1011 

Field  tabulation  . . . . . . .  1011 

Plot  of  discrepancies  . . . . . .  1011 

Bench  marks. . . . . . . . .  1011 

Rate  of  progress . . . . . . .  1012 

Office  reduction . . . . . . . . . .  1012 

Wire  intervals . . . . . . . .  1013 

Inequality  of  telescope  rings  . .  . . . . .  1013 

Constants  of  rods _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  1013 

Recapitulation  of  instrumental  factors _ _ _ _ _  1014 

Degree  of  precision  attained .. .  .  . . . . . .  1014 

Appendix  No.  22.— Description  and  Elevation  of  Bench  Marks  : 

Explanation  of  the  lists . . . . . . . —  1015 

Part  I — 

Bench  marks  on  east  side  of  Hudson  River  between  Hudson  and 

Greenbush,  N.  Y . . .  . . - .  1016 

Bench  marks  on  east  side  of  the  Hudson  River  between  Greenbush 

and  Troy,  N.  Y . . . . . . .  1017 

Bench  marks  established  in  the  Mohawk  Valley,  Wood  Creek  Val¬ 
ley,  on  the  north  side  of  Lake  Oneida,  and  along  the  Oneida  and 

Oswego  rivers,  between  Troy  and  Oswego,  N.li - -  1018 

Bench  marks  from  Waterford,  N.  Y.,  to  Port  Henry,  N.  Y.,  along 
Hudson  River,  Delaware  and  Hudson  Company's  Railroad,  and 
Lake  Champlain . . . . . .  .  1023 


20 


CONTENTS. 


Appendix  No.  22 — Continued.  Page. 

Part  I — Continued. 

Bench  marks  established  along  Lake  Champlain  between  Coopers- 

ville  and  Fort  Montgomery,  N.  Y  _ ...  . .  . .  .....  1026 

Bench  marks  established  between  Lake  Champlain  and  Lake  St. 

Francis  via  Champlain,  Barrington,  Ormstown,  and  St.  Stanislas.  1027 
Bench  marks  established  between  St.  Stanislas,  Province  of  Quebec, 

Canada,  and  Hogansburg.  N.  Y. _ _ _ _  _ _ _  1028 

Bench  marks  established  by  precise  levels  between  Hogansburg, 

N.  Y. ,  and  St.  Regis,  Canada  . . . . . . . . . . .  1029 

Bench  marks  established  by  precise  levels  along  the  St.  Lawrence 

River  between  Hogansburg,  N.  Y. ,  and  Cape  Vincent.  N.  Y . .  1029 

Part  II — 

Bench  marks  between  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Ontario . . .  1087 

Bench  marks  on  Canadian  side  of  Niagara  River  from  International 

Bridge  to  foot  of  Lake  Erie _ _ _ _ _ _ _  1088 

Bench  marks  from  North  Tona wanda  to  Niagara  Falls . .  1038 

Bench  marks  from  Lasalle  to  Lewiston  . . . . .  1039 

Part  Ill- 

Bench  marks  established  by  precise  levels  along  the  Detroit  River, 

Lake  St.  Clair,  and  the  St.  Clair  River  between  Gibraltar  and 

Port  Huron,  Mich  . . . . . . . .  1039 

Appendix  No.  23. — Secretary's  Report. 

Appointment  of  the  secretary . .  . . . . .  1043 

Filing  of  bond _ ..1.  . . . .  1043 

Depositary  of  funds  for  this  Board . . . .  1044 

Method  of  paying  bills _  ..  . . .  1044 

Reimbursement  vouchers  used  by  chiefs  of  parties . . .  1044 

Payment  of  vouchers . . . . . .  . .  1045 

Purchases . . . . . . . . .  1045 

The  selection  of  employees . . . . .  1045 

Statement  of  receipts  of  the  Board  . . . . .  1046 

Expenditures . . . . . . .  1046 

Balance  on  hand . . . . . . .  1046 

Where  deposited. . . .  1046 

Miscellaneous  receipts . . . .  . .  1046 

Whence  derived . . . . . . . . .  1046 

Analysis  of  expenditures . . . . . . . . . .  1048 

Expenditures  of  fiscal  years . . . . . .  1048 

Total  square  and  linear  miles  surveyed  and  average  cost  per  mile  for 

different  divisions . . . . . ....  . .  1048 

Topograjihical  surveys . . . . .  .  1049 

Cost  of . . . . . .  .  1049 

Borings _ ^ . . . .  1050 

Cost  of  . . . . .  1050 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Report  of  the  Board:  Page. 

Fig.  1.  Diagram  showing  tonnage  passing  SaultSte.  Marie,  Mich.,  and 

Ontario . . . . . . . . . _.  .  39 

Fig.  2.  Standard  cross-sections  of  canal  prisms,  30-foot  canal _  43 

Fig.  3.  Standard  cross  sections  of  canal  prisms,  21 -foot  canal  _  43 

Appendix  No.  2: 

Figs.  1.  2.  3.  Miter  posts,  contact  of  bearing  piece,  plane  surface _  157 

4.  Bearing  piece  for  miter  posts _ _  160 

5,  6.  Miter  posts,  contact  of  bearing  piece,  cylindrical  surface..  161 
7,  8.  Pressure  on  gates,  force  diagram . .  169 

9.  10,  11.  Stresses  in  girders,  diagrams.. . .  171 

12.  Diagram  showing  deflection  of  gate  under  pressure _  174 

13,14.  Diagram  showing  deflection  of  gate . 176 

15,16.  Stresses  and  deflections  in  beams _ _ _  180 

17.  Section  of  lower  gate  for  80-foot  lock _ _ _  ...  . .  186 

18.  Plan  of  Poe  Lock  lower  gate,  showing  method  of  measur¬ 

ing  deflections  _ _ _ _ _  _ _  192 

Appendix  No.  3: 

Fig.  1.  Plan  of  proposed  breakwater  at  Oswego  Harbor,  30-foot  channel  _  216 

2.  Computation  diagram  for  proposed  east  breakwater  at  Oswego 

Harbor,  30-foot  channel _ _ _ _  . ..  .  ...  216 

3.  Computation  diagram  for  proposed  west  breakwater  at  Oswego 

Harbor...  .  . . . . . .  216 

4.  Plan  of  proposed  breakwater  at  Oswego  Harbor,  21-foot  channel .  216 

5.  Computation  diagram  for  proposed  east  breakwater  at  Oswego 

Harbor,  21-foot  channel . .  . . . .  216 

6.  Computation  diagram  for  proposed  west  breakwater  at  Oswego 

Harbor,  21-foot  channel. _ _ _ _ _ _ _  216 

7.  Plan  of  proposed  breakwater  at  Olcott  Harbor,  30-foot  channel  .  216 

8.  Computation  diagram  for  proposed  east  breakwater  at  Olcott 

Harbor,  30-foot  channel .  . . .  216 

9.  Computation  diagram  for  proposed  west  breakwater  at  Olcott 

Harbor,  30-foot  channel .  216 

10.  Plan  of  proposed  breakwater  at  Olcott  Harbor,  21-foot  channel.  216 

11.  Computation  diagram  of  proposed  east  breakwater  at  Olcott 

Harbor,  21-foot  channel  . .  . . .  216 

12.  Computation  diagram  of  proposed  west  breakwater  at  Olcott 

Harbor,  21-foot  channel . . . .  216 

Appendix  No.  4: 

Fig.  1.  Curve,  speed  of  ships  in  restricted  waterways .  231 


21 


22 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Appendix  No.  7:  Page. 

Fig.  1.  Vertical  curves  of  current  velocities.  Niagara  River  . .  312 

Appendix  No.  8: 

Fig.  1.  Profile  of  water  surface  of  Richelieu  River .  . . .  322 

2.  Discharge  curve  of  Richelieu  River  . . . .  .  .........  322 

Appendix  No.  10: 

Fig.  1.  Boring  apparatus . . . . . . . . .  .  341 

Appendix  No.  12: 

•Fig.  1.  Photographic  plate,  Dodges  Quarry,  Champlain,  N.  Y. ,  quartz¬ 
ite  outcrop,  Champlain,  N.  Y._ ...  .  . . . . .  438 

2.  Photographic  plate,  quartzite  outcrop,  Holton  Station _  438 

Appendix  No.  14: 

Fig.  1.  Improved  level  rod  . . . .  502 

Appendix  No.  16: 

Fig.  1.  Photographic  plate,  Rexford  Flats  Dam . 690 

2.  Photographic  plate,  Rexford  Flats  Dam _ _ 690 

3.  Photographic  plate.  Brown ville  Paper  Company's  mill .  854 

4.  Photographic  plate,  dam  at  Carthage  ..  . 854 

5.  Photographic  plate,  Huntington  Dam  at  Watertown  . .  854 

6.  Photographic  plate,  Beaver  River _ _ 854 

7.  Photographic  jdate.  J.  P.  Lewis  Dam  at  Eeaver  Falls _  854 

8.  Photographic  plate,  water-power  development  at  Lyons  Falls..  854 

Appendix  No.  IS: 

Fig.  1.  Sections  of  diamond-drill  borings,  Lasalle-Lewiston  route _  959 

2.  Sections  of  diamond-drill  borings.  Lasalle-Lewiston  route _ _  959 

3.  Sections  of  diamond-drill  borings.  Tonawanda-Olcott  route _  961 

4.  Sections  of  diamond-drill  borings,  Tonawanda-Olcott  route _  961 

5.  Sections  of  diamond-drill  borings,  Tonawanda-Olcott  route _  "961 

6.  Sections  of  diamond-drill  borings,  Oswego-Mohawk  rotate, 

western  division . . . . ...  ... . .  963 

7.  Sections  of  diamond-drill  borings,  Oswego-Mohawk  route, 

western  division .  . . . .  963 

8.  Sections  of  diamond-drill  borings,  Champlain  route,  Hudson 

River  division .  . . . . .  970 


PLATES. 

Plate  1.  Index  map. 

2-5.  Maps  St.  Marys  River  and  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal. 
6-13.  St.  Clair  River,  Lake  St.  Clair,  and  Detroit  River. 
14-15.  Lasalle-Lewiston  route. 

16-17.  Tonawanda-Olcott  route. 

18-24.  Oswego-Mohawk  route,  western  division. 

25-33.  Oswego-Mohawk  route,  eastern  division. 

34-43.  Champlain  route,  St.  Lawrence  division. 

44-48.  Champlain  route,  northern  division. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


23 


Plate  49-55.  Champlain  route,  Hudson  River  division. 

56-59.  Champlain  route,  and  tidal  Hudson  division. 

60.  General  profile,  Lasalle-Lewiston  route. 

61.  General  profile,  Tonawanda-Olcott  route. 

62.  General  profile,  Oswego- Mohawk  route,  western  division. 

63.  General  profile,  Oswego-Mohawk  route,  eastern  division. 

64.  General  profile,  Champlain  route,  St.  Lawrence  division. 

65.  General  profile,  Champlain  route,  northern  division. 

66.  General  profile,  Champlain  route,  Hudson  River  division. 

67.  General  profile,  Champlain  route,  Hudson  River  division  and  tidal 

Hudson. 

68.  Locks,  20-foot  lift  at  Oriskany  and  52-foot  lift  at  Champlain. 

69.  Lewiston  flight  of  locks. 

70.  Upper  gate  for  60-foot  lock. 

71.  Lower  gate  for  60-foot  lock. 

72.  Upper  gate  for  80-foot  lock  at  Oriskany. 

73.  Lower  gate  for  80- foot  lock  at  Oriskany. 

74.  Middle  gates  for  Lewiston  flight. 

75.  Table  of  girder  weights  for  gates  for  60-foot  lock. 

76.  Table  of  girder  weights  for  gates  for  70-foot  lock. 

77.  Diagram  of  girder  weights  of  gates.  60-foot  and  70-foot  locks. 

78.  Diagram  showing  effect  of  eccentricity  at  miter  posts. 

79.  Curves  of  weights  of  gates. 

80.  Curves  of  gate  deflections. 

81.  Curves  Lake  Ontario  water  levels  and  Niagara  River  discharge. 

82.  Profiles  of  water  surface,  Detroit  and  St.  Clair  rivers. 

83.  Curves  water  levels  of  Lake  Huron,  St.  Clair,  and  Erie,  and  profile  of 

water  surface  Detroit  and  St.  Clair  rivers. 

84.  Map  foot  of  Lake  Erie  and  head  of  Niagara  River. 

85.  Lake  Erie  regulating  works,  masonry  and  superstructure. 

86.  Lake  Erie  regulating  works,  sluice  gates  and  counterweights. 

87.  Lake  Erie  regulating  works,  hoisting  gear  for  sluice  gates. 

88.  Cross  section  Niagara  River  at  International  Bridge. 

89.  Discharge  curves  and  curves  of  fall,  Niagara  River. 

90.  Profile  of  head  of  Niagara  River. 

91.  Map  showing  site  of  Champlain  regulating  works. 

92.  General  map  of  vicinity  of  Niagara  ship-canal  routes. 

93.  General  map  of  water  supply  to  Oswego-Mohawk  route. 

94.  Drainage  map  of  the  Upper  Hudson. 

95.  Drainage  map  of  the  Mohawk  River. 

96.  Drainage  map  of  the  Black  River. 

97.  Drainage  map  of  the  Oneida  Lake. 

98.  Rainfall  map  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

99.  Drainage  map  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

100.  Diagram,  relation  of  Hudson  River  to  meteorology  and  tides  at 
Albany. 


24 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Plate  101.  Run-off  of  Black  River. 

102.  Comparative  run-off  of  Black  and  Hudson  rivers. 

103.  Run-off  of  Black  River. 

104.  Run  off  of  Black  River. 

105.  Run-off  of  Black  River. 

106.  Discharge  curve  for  36-inch  new  American  turbine. 

107.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Seneca  River. 

108.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Oswego  River  at  Fulton. 

•  100.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Chittenango  Creek. 

110.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Oneida  Creek. 

111.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam.  West  Branch  of  Fish  Creek. 

112.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  East  Branch  of  Fish  Creek. 

113.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Salmon  River  at  Orwell. 

114.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Upper  Mohawk  at  Ridge  Mills,  N.  Y. 

115.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Nine-Mile  Creek. 

116.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam.  Oriskany  Creek  at  Oriskany. 

117.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Oriskany  Creek  at  Reeders  Mills. 

118.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Sauquoit  Creek,  Upper  New  York 

Mills. 

119.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam.  West  Canada  Creek  at  Middleville. 

120.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Mohawk  River  at  Little  Falls. 

121.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam.  East  Canada  Creek  at  Dolgeville. 

122.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Garoga  Creek. 

123.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam.  Cayadutta  Creek. 

124.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam.  Schoharie  Creek  at  Fort  Hunter. 

125.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Mohawk  River  at  Rexford  Flats. 

126.  Discharge  curve  and  section  of  dam,  Black  River  at  Huntingtonville. 

127.  Discharge  over  weirs,  comparison  of  different  formulae. 

128.  Discharge  over  weirs — Bazin. 

129.  Discharge  curve  for  single  foot  of  crest — Bazin. 

130.  Discharge  curve  for  single  foot  of  crest— Bazin. 

131.  Diagram  of  arrangements— Cornell  University  experiments. 

132.  Diagram  of  gauge  readings— Cornell  University  experiments. 

133.  Diagram  of  gauge  readings— Cornell  University  experiments. 

134.  Curves  cf  flow  of  water  over  weirs— Cornell  University  experiments. 

135.  Discharge  curve  of  1  foot  of  crest — Cornell  University  experiments. 

136.  Reduction  curves — Cornell  University  experiments. 

137.  Curve  of  flow  of  water  over  weirs — Cornell  University  exper  ments. 

138.  Value  of  coefficient  C— Cornell  University  experiments. 

139.  Run-off  diagram.  Hudson  and  Genesee  rivers. 

140.  Profile  of  Black  River  feeder. 

141.  Profile  of  alternate  tunnel  route. 


REPORT 


OF  THE 

BOARD  OF  ENGINEERS  ON  DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


United  States  Board  of  Engineers 

on  Deep  Waterways, 

3f  ~[Vest  Congress  Street ,  Detroit ,  Mich.,  June  30,  1000. 

Sir:  The  Board  of  Engineers  designated  and  appointed  by  the 
President,  in  conformity  with  the  provisions  of  the  sundry  civil  act 
of  June  4,  1807,  to  make  surveys  and  examinations  of  deep  water¬ 
ways  and  the  routes  thereof  between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Atlantic 
tide  waters,  has  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report: 

The  letter  constituting  the  Board  is  as  follows: 

War  Department,  Washington,  July  28,  1807. 

Under  a  provision  in  the  act  of  Congress  making  appropriations  for  sundry 
civil  expenses  of  the  Government  for  the  year  ending  June  JO,  1898,  and  for  other 
purposes,  approved  June  4, 1897,  Major  Charles  W.  Raymond,  Corps  of  Engineers, 
United  States  Army,  Alfred  Noble,  and  George  Y.  Wisner  are  designated  and 
appointed  by  the  President  as  a  Board  of  Engineers  to  make  “surveys  and  exami¬ 
nations  (including  estimate  of  cost)  of  deep  waterways  and  the  routes  thereof 
between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Atlantic  tide  waters,  as  recommended  by  the 
report  of  the  Deep  Waterways  Commission,”  as  required  by  the  said  act. 

R.  A.  Alger,  Secretary  of  War. 

The  provisions  of  the  sundry  civil  act  of  June  4,  1897,  which  author¬ 
ize  the  formation  and  define  the  duties  of  the  Board  are  as  follows: 

Deep  Waterways  Commission:  For  surveys  and  examinations  (including 
estimate  of  cost)  of  deep  waterways  and  the  routes  thereof  between  the  Great 
Lakes  and  the  Atlantic  tide  waters,  as  recommended  by  the  report  of  the  Deep 
Waterways  Commission  transmitted  by  the  President  to  Congress  January  18, 
1897,  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  Such  examinations  and  surveys 
shall  be  made  by  a  Board  of  three  engineers,  to  be  designated  by  the  President,  one 
of  whom  may  be  detailed  from  the  Engineer  Corps  of  the  Army,  one  from  the 
Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  and  one  shall  be  appointed  from  civil  life. 

The  sundry  civil  act  of  July  1,  1898,  which  appropriated  funds  for 
continuing  this  work,  provided  that  the  Board  should  “submit  in 
their  report  the  probable  and  relative  cost  of  various  depths  for  said 
waterway,  respectively,  as  follows:  21  and  30  feet,  with  a  statement 
of  the  relative  advantages  thereof.” 


26 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  following  appropriations  for  the  work  of  the  Board  have  been 
made  by  Congress: 


Sundry  civil  act  of — 

June  4,  1897- . . . .  - . - . .  $150,000 

July  1,1898 . . . . . .  . . .  225,000 

March  3,  1899 . . . . - .  90,000 

Urgent  deficiency  act  of  February  9,  1900 . .  20,000 


Total . . . .  485,000 


ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  BOARD. 

The  Board  held  its  first  meeting  at  the  Engineer  Office,  United 
States  Army,  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  on  August  11,  1897,  and  organized 
by  the  election  of  Maj.  (now  Lieut.  Col.)  C.  W.  Raymond,  Corps  of 
Engineers,  United  States  Army,  as  President.  Gen.  James  H.  Kidd, 
of  Ionia,  Midi.,  was  appointed  secretary  of  the  Board  by  letter  of  the 
Secretary  of  War  dated  August  10,  1897.  The  permanent  office  of 
the  Board  was  established  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  on  October  1,  1897. 

Instructions  for  the  guidance  of  the  Board  were  issued  by  the  Sec¬ 
retary  of  War  on  August  31,  1897,  and  amended  instructions  on 
October  20, 1897.  These  instructions  will  be  found  in  Appendix  No.  9. 

DUTIES  OF  THE  BOARD. 

The  act  of  June  4,  1897,  requires  the  Board  to  make  surveys  and 
examinations  (including  estimate  of  cost)  of  deep  waterways,  and  the 
routes  thereof,  between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Atlantic  tide  waters, 
as  recommended  by  the  report  of  the  Deep  Waterways  Commission 
transmitted  by  the  President  to  Congress  January  18,  1897.  This 
report  is  published  as  Document  No.  192,  House  of  Representatives, 
Fifty-fourth  Congress,  second  session.  The  recommendations  referred 
to  will  be  found  on  page  30  of  the  report,  and  are  as  follows: 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

I.  That  complete  surveys  and  examinations  be  made  and  all  needful  data  to 
mature  projects  be  procured  for — 

(a)  Controlling  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  and  projecting  the  Niagara  ship  canal. 

( b )  Developing  the  Oswego-Oneida-Mohawk  route. 

(c)  Developing  the  St.  Lawrence-Champla'n  route. 

( d )  Improving  the  tidal  Hudson  River. 

(e)  Improving  intermediate  channels  of  the  lakes. 

II.  That  the  collecting  and  reducing  of  existing  information,  supplemented  by 
reconnoissances  and  special  investigations,  be  continued  until  the  general  questions 
have  been  fully  covered. 

III.  That  a  systematic  measurement  of  the  outflow  of  the  several  lakes  and  a 
final  determination  of  their  levels  shall  be  undertaken. 

The  depths  of  the  waterways  which  are  the  subjects  of  investiga¬ 
tion  are  definitely  fixed  by  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  July  1,1898, 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


27 


at  21  and  30  feet,  respectively,  and  the  act  further  requires  a  state¬ 
ment  of  the  relative  advantages  thereof. 

It  will  be  observed  that,  with  the  exception  of  the  provision  last 
named,  the  duties  of  the  Board  are  of  a  purely  engineering  character, 
and  do  not  include  the  consideration  of  questions  of  Government 
policy  or  commercial  desirability.  In  comparing  the  relative  advan¬ 
tages  of  waterways  of  different  depths,  however,  a  consideration  of 
the  relative  adaptability  of  these  waterways  to  the  present  and  pros¬ 
pective  requirements  of  commerce  has  been  found  unavoidable. 

PLAN  OF  THIS  REPORT. 

The  problems  investigated  by  the  Board  require  for  their  intelli¬ 
gent  consideration  a  knowledge  of  the  original  conditions  formerly 
existing  in  the  lake  and  river  waterways  and  of  the  improvements 
made  therein.  The  report,  therefore,  commences  with  a  brief  state¬ 
ment  of  these  conditions  and  a  general  account  of  these  improvements. 
This  is  followed  by  a  condensed  statement  of  the  operations  of  the 
Board  and  of  the  results  obtained,  full  and  detailed  information  with 
reference  to  methods  and  data  being  given  in  the  appendixes.  This 
plan  is  adopted  for  the  sake  of  clearness. 

Under  the  head  of  “Operations  of  the  Board  ”  an  account  is  given  of 
the  general  methods  followed  by  the  Board  in  conducting  and  super¬ 
vising  the  work.  Under  the  head  of  “Special  investigations”  an 
account  is  given  of  certain  investigations  made  by  members  of  t  he 
Board  or  by  others  under  their  immediate  direction,  the  details  of 
which  are  contained  in  the  appendixes. 

The  subjects  specified  in  Paragraph  I  of  the  recommendations  of 
the  commission  of  1897  are  then  treated  separately  in  order. 

The  systematic  measurement  of  outflow  and  determination  of  lake 
levels  provided  for  by  Paragraph  III  of  the  recommendations  have 
been  carried  out  only  so  far  as  was  necessary  in  investigating  the 
other  problems  under  consideration,  and  will  be  referred  to  in  con¬ 
nection  therewith.  The  commission  of  1897  remarks  in  its  report 
that  this  work  will  require  some  years  of  time,  and  that  it  is  possible 
that  it  can  be  as  well  done  through  some  other  agency.  It  is  now  in 
progress,  under  the  direction  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers,  United  States 
Army.  Finally,  a  comparison  is  made  between  the  various  water¬ 
ways  which  have  been  surveyed  and  investigated,  and  a  statement  of 
the  relative  advantages  of  the  waterways  having  depths  of  21  and  30 
feet,  respectively,  is  given,  as  required  by  the  act  of  July  1,  1898. 

ORIGINAL  CONDITIONS  AND  IMPROVEMENTS. 

From  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  first  French  explorers  on  the 
Great  Lakes,  in  the  seventeenth  century,  until  the  present  the  utiliza¬ 
tion  of  the  great  natural  waterways  through  these  lakes  as  a  means 
for  the  development  of  new  commerce  has  been  a  prominent  factor  in 


28 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


the  commercial  and  industrial  progress  of  the  country.  It  is  only  two 
hundred  and  twenty  years  since  the  first  sail  vessel  was  launched  on 
the  upper  lakes,  during  which  time  the  birch-bark  canoe  has  been 
transformed  into  the  steel  freight  steamship  of  8,000  tons  capacity, 
and  a  freight  traffic  of  40,000,000  tons  annually  has  been  developed 
from  the  natural  resources  of  the  country  tributary  to  the  lake  system 
of  waterways. 

Without  the  facilities  for  easy  transportation  afforded  by  these 
waterways  the  lake  cities  would  never  have  reached  their  present 
importance,  and  without  the  commercial  and  manufacturing  require¬ 
ments  of  these  cities  the  unprecedented  growth  of  the  lake  commerce 
would  not  have  occurred.  The  Hudson  River  and  the  St.  Lawrence 
River  are  the  natural  gateways  of  commerce  on  the  Atlantic  coast, 
and  to  connect  these  with  the  Great  Lakes  by  a  waterway  of  suitable 
dimensions  to  economically  transport  the  commerce  of  the  country 
tributary  to  the  lake  system  has  been  the  most  important  project  for 
public  improvements  claiming  the  attention  of  the  Governments  of  the 
United  States  and  Canada  during  the  past  century. 

Two  general  systems  of  canals  have  been  constructed  to  secure 
through  water  navigation  from  the  lakes  to  the  Atlantic — one,  by  the 
Canadian  government,  around  the  rapids  and  obstructions  of  the 
Niagara  and  St.  Lawrence  rivers,  and  the  other,  by  the  State  of  New 
York,  from  Lake  Erie  to  the  Hudson  River  at  Albany,  both  of  which 
were  inadequate  for  the  demands  of  commerce  when  completed.  The 
Canadian  system  has  been  enlarged  three  times,  and  the  Erie  Canal 
once,  and  the  second  enlargement  commenced,  and  still,  like  a  narrow- 
gauge  railroad,  their  dimensions  are  not  such  as  to  form  a  satisfactory 
link  between  the  larger  transportation  routes  connected. 

The  possibilities  for  the  growth  of  commerce  were  never  sufficiently 
realized  to  warrant  the  construction  of  transportation  routes  on  such 
broad  principles  as  to  anticipate  the  actual  requirements  by  the  time 
that  the  work  could  be  completed,  and  no  attempt  was  made  to  deter¬ 
mine  the  channel  dimensions  which  would  ultimately  be  required  to 
form  a  through  transportation  route  from  the  lakes  to  the  sea  without 
the  necessity  of  transferring  freight  at  intermediate  ports  between 
which  the  waterways  were  not  such  as  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
economic  freight  carrier  of  the  connected  routes — a  result  which  can 
only  be  obtained  by  making  all  such  connecting  waterways  of  dimen¬ 
sions  to  conform  with  the  controlling  depths  of  the  routes  connected. 

On  the  lake  waterways  the  improvement  of  depth  has  been  a  grad¬ 
ual  one  to  correspond  with  depth  of  terminal  harbors,  and  unlike  the 
construction  of  canals,  the  money  expended  on  such  work  has  not 
been  entirely  lost  when  considered  in  reference  to  future  enlarge¬ 
ments.  When  the  Erie  Canal  was  first  opened,  Thomas  Jefferson 
said  that  the  project  was  one  hundred  years  ahead  of  its  time,  yet 
within  ten  years  afterwards  it  became  necessary  to  commence  enlarge- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


29 


ments  which  cost  fully  as  much  as  though  no  work  had  been  done. 
In  order  to  clearly  understand  the  situation  relative  to  the  develop¬ 
ment  of  a  waterway  to  meet  the  future  requirements  as  well  as  the 
present  necessities  of  the  commerce  between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the 
Atlantic,  a  brief  review  of  the  original  conditions  of  the  natural 
waterways,  the  improvements  which  have  been  made,  and  the  artifi¬ 
cial  channels  constructed  will  be  necessary. 

HUDSON  RIVER. 

The  watershed  of  the  Hudson  River  above  the  Mohawk  has  an  area 
of  about  4,600  square  miles,  and  the  Mohawk  watershed  an  area  of 
about  3,400  square  miles,  making  the  total  watershed  tributary  to  the 
river  at  Troy  8,000  square  miles,  from  which,  at  times  of  freshets, 
there  is  a  maximum  discharge  from  the  Upper  Hudson  of  about  65,000 
cubic  feet  per  second,  and  from  the  Mohawk  River  about  78,000  cubic 
feet  per  second.  The  times  of  the  high  waters  of  the  two  rivers  are 
not  likely  to  be  coincident. 

At  times  of  low  water,  the  entire  volume  of  flow  of  both  rivers 
(about  2,000  cubic  feet  per  second)  is  utilized  in  the  wheels  of  the 
manufacturing  establishments  at  places  where  dams  have  been  located 
for  developing  power. 

In  its  original  condition  the  Hudson  River  was  a  tidal  stream  from 
New  York  to  Troy,  above  which  the  river  consisted  of  a  series  of  pools 
separated  by  rapids  at  points  where  the  outcrop  of  rock  in  the  river 
bed  formed  natural  weirs. 

The  river  had  a  natural  navigable  channel  of  20  feet  depth  as  far 
up  as  Hudson  City,  above  which  it  gradually  shoaled  to  about  10  feet 
at  Albany  and  6  feet  at  Troy,  with  shifting  bars  of  only  4  feet  to  5 
feet  on  the  crests.  The  mean  tidal  fluctuation  at  Troy  was  0.8  foot, 
and  the  total  low-water  slope  from  Troy  to  New  York  4.5  feet.  The 
improvement  of  the  channel  has  considerably  increased  the  tidal 
range  at  Albany  and  Troy,  and  diminished  the  low-water  slope  of  the 
river,  and  if  a  21 -foot  channel  should  be  constructed,  the  resulting 
increase  of  tidal  effect  would  materially  assist  in  maintaining  the 
improved  channels. 

The  conditions  arising  from  ice  jams,  the  wash  of  channel  banks, 
and  the  formation  of  shoals  indicate  that  navigable  depths  of  over  21 
feet  will  be  difficult  and  expensive  to  maintain. 

The  principal  obstructions  to  the  navigation  of  the  Hudson  were 
between  Troy  and  New  Baltimore,  a  distance  of  about  20  miles, 
which,  before  improvement,  consisted  of  14  bars  with  only  4  to  5  feet 
of  water  on  the  crests. 

The  improvement  of  this  reach  of  river  was  commenced  bjT  the 
State  of  New  York  in  1797,  and  during  the  following  twenty-two 
years,  $185,700  were  expended  in  the  construction  of  dams  and  jet- 


30 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


ties,  which  resulted  in  washing  away  valuable  land  and  creating 
new  shoals  without  improving  navigation. 

In  1834  the  United  States  Government  assumed  charge  of  the  river 
improvement,  since  which  time,  with  the  amount  contributed  by  the 
State  of  New  York,  about  15,000,000  have  been  expended  on  the  proj¬ 
ect,  which  provides  for  a  channel  12  feet  deep  and  300  feet  wide  from 
the  State  Dam  to  Broadway,  in  Troy,  and  400  feet  wide  from  Broadway 
to  Coxsackie. 

NEW  YORK  STATE  CANAL  PROJECTS. 

The  first  mention  of  interior  waterway  improvements  in  New  York 
is  found  in  the  recommendation  of  Sir  Henry  Moore,  governor  of  the 
colony,  to  the  assembly,  on  December  16,  1768,  for  the  improvement 
of  the  Mohawk  River  at  the  Falls  of  Canajoharie. 

In  1784  a  survey  was  made  for  a  canal  around  Niagara  Falls,  to  be 
utilized  in  connection  with  a  system  of  canals  and  slack  water,  by  the 
way  of  the  Oswego  and  Mohawk  rivers,  to  connect  the  Hudson  River 
with  Lake  Erie,  which  was  further  considered  in  1788  by  Elkanah 
Watson,  who  proposed  a  project  for  improvement  of  transportation 
between  Lake  Ontario  and  the  Hudson  by  connecting  Wood  Creek 
with  the  Mohawk  River  by  a  canal  and  by  improving  these  streams  . 
and  the  Oswego  River. 

The  first  canal  law  was  passed  March  24,  1791,  authorizing  an 
exploration  for  a  canal  from  Fort  Stanwix  to  Wood  Creek  and  surveys 
for  the  improvement  of  the  Mohawk  River  to  the  Hudson,  for  which 
$500  were  appropriated.  The  commission  appointed  to  superintend 
this  work  was  composed  of  Elkanah  Watson,  General  Schuyler,  and 
Goldsborrow  Banger,  who  reported  that  the  project  was  feasible,  and 
that  the  existing  cost  of  transportation  from  Seneca  Lake  to  Albany 
was  from  $75  to  $100  per  ton  and  required  about  four  weeks  for  the 
round  trip.  On  March  30,  1792,  a  law  was  passed  incorporating  two 
companies — the  Western,  to  provide  transportation  from  the  Hudson 
to  Lake  Ontario,  and  the  Northern,  from  the  Hudson  to  Lake  Cham¬ 
plain.  The  State  afterwards  subscribed  to  the  stock  of  the  companies. 

In  the  spring  of  1796  the  western  canals  were  opened  from  Schenec¬ 
tady  to  Seneca  Falls  for  boats  of  16  tons  capacity,  and  freight  charges 
were  reduced  to  $32  per  ton  for  the  down  trip  and  $16  per  ton  for  the 
upbound  trip. 

The  amount  expended  by  the  Western  Company  up  to  1813  was 
$400,000.  The  total  length  of  artificial  channel  of  the  system  was 
about  15  miles,  and  the  locks,  which  were  first  built  of  wood  and  after¬ 
wards  changed  to  brick,  never  worked  well.  The  rights  of  the  com¬ 
pany  were  finally  purchased  by  the  State  in  1820.  The  Northern 
Company  expended  about  $100,000  on  the  route  from  the  Hudson  to 
Lake  Champlain,  which  was  a  total  loss.  In  1798  a  law  was  passed 
for  a  canal  around  Niagara  Falls,  but  no  action  was  ever  taken  to  put 
it.  into  effect. 


31 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 

ERIE  CANAL. 

The  first  suggestion  of  the  Erie  Canal  is  attributed  to  Gouverneur 
Morris,  in  1803,  and  was  then  generally  regarded  as  “an  effusion  of 
an  eccentric  mind.”  In  1808  the  legislature  appropriated  #(>00  for  a 
survey  of  the  route,  with  the  expectation  that  the  Federal  Government 
would  aid  in  the  construction.  This  act  contemplated  a  waterway 
from  the  Hudson  to  Lake  Ontario  and  a  canal  thence  around  Niagara 
Falls  to  Lake  Erie. 

In  1811  a  commission,  consisting  of  Gouverneur  Morris,  S.  Van 
Rensselaer,  I)e  Witt  Clinton,  William  North,  Thomas  Eddy,  and 
Robert  R.  Livingston,  was  appointed  to  consider  and  report  on  all 
matters  relating  to  the  inland  navigation  of  the  State.  This  commis¬ 
sion  made  an  appeal  to  Congress  and  to  the  State  government  for 
aid,  but  without  success,  and  in  April,  1812,  submitted  a  report,  the 
recommendations  of  which  were  made  the  basis  of  legislation  for  the 
construction  of  the  canal  on  the  line  as  finally  built. 

In  their  report  it  is  stated  that  the  project  for  a  canal  suitable  for 
vessels  of  50  to  60  tons  capacity,  capable  of  navigating  Lake  Ontario, 
was  impracticable  for  the  reason  that  sufficient  water  was  not  avail¬ 
able  for  the  supply  of  the  summit  level,  and  inadvisable  for  the 
reason  that  freight  for  export,  once  having  reached  Lake  Ontario,  could 
be  delivered  at  Montreal  for  less  cost  for  transportation  than  at  New 
York,  an  argument  which  is  still  an  important  factor  in  the  location 
of  a  waterway  from  the  lakes  to  the  sea.  At  that  time  a  large  amount 
of  the  commerce  of  New  York  City  was  from  the  central  and  western 
part  of  the  State,  making  a  canal  through  the  State  much  more  advan¬ 
tageous  than  a  route  through  Lake  Ontario,  passing  around  the  west¬ 
ern  half  of  the  section  to  be  benefited,  a  condition  which  has  been 
greatly  modified  by  the  enormous  increase  of  through  traffic  and  the 
development  of  railroad  transportation  lines  by  which  local  commerce 
is  economically  handled. 

In  1812  the  legislature  passed  a  law  appropriating  #5,000,000  for 
the  construction  of  the  canal,  but  owing  to  the  war  with  Great  Brit¬ 
ain  the  act  was  repealed  before  any  work  was  done. 

On  April  10,  1816,  a  law  was  passed  for  an  estimate  for  the  canal, 
and  the  following  year  the  construction  was  authorized.  The  first 
ground  was  broken  July  1,  1817,  at  Rome,  and  in  October,  1819,  the 
first  boat  made  the  trip  from  Rome  to  Utica.  During  1821  the  entire 
canal  was  placed  under  contract  and  was  completed  in  October,  1825. 

It  was  recognized  before  the  canal  was  completed  that  its  dimen¬ 
sions  were  inadequate  for  economical  transportation,  and  in  1834  a 
law  was  passed  authorizing  the  enlargement  of  the  system  and  pro¬ 
viding  for  a  second  set  of  locks  of  the  enlarged  plan  from  Syracuse  to 
Albany.  In  May,  1835,  a  law  was  passed  approving  the  policy  of 
enlargement  of  the  entire  canal,  which  was  not  completed  until  1862. 


32 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


CHAMPLAIN  CANAL. 

The  law  of  1817  providing  for  the  construction  of  the  Erie  Canal 
also  provided  for  the  Champlain  Canal,  which  was  completed  in  sec¬ 
tions,  as  follows: 

1810.  From  Fort  Edward  to  Whitehall. 

1820.  From  Whitehall  to  Fort  Miller. 

1821.  From  Fort  Miller  to  Stillwater. 

1822.  From  Stillwater  to  Waterford. 

•  1823.  From  Waterford  to  Albany. 

This  canal  was  gradually  enlarged  and  the  locks  replaced  until 
1860,  when  the  legislature  directed  that  the  depth  be  made  5  feet  and 
the  bottom  width  35  feet. 


OSWEGO  CANAL. 

This  canal  was  authorized  in  1825  and  completed  in  1828,  with  the 
same  dimensions  as  the  original  Erie  Canal.  The  report  of  the  State 
engineer  for  1854  states  that  the  business  of  this  canal  was  greatly 
increased,  at  the  expense  of  the  western  portion  of  the  Erie  Canal,  by 
the  completion  of  the  Welland  Canal,  indicating  that  the  opinion 
that  freight  having  reached  Lake  Ontario  would  not  be  locked  over 
the  divide  to  the  Mohawk  River  was  not  well  founded. 

The  following  table  gives  the  dates  of  construction,  dimension  of 
prism,  size  of  locks,  and  cost  of  these  canals  as  originally  built,  and 
for  the  enlargements  completed  in  1862: 1 


N  ame  of  canal. 

When  au¬ 
thorized. 

When  com¬ 
pleted. 

Length. 

Width  on 
surface. 

W  id  th  on 
bottom. 

Depth  of 
water. 

Number  of 
locks. 

Length  of 
locks. 

Width  of 
locks. 

Original 
cost  of 
the  canal. 

Cost,  in¬ 
cluding 
enlarge¬ 
ment  and 
land  dam¬ 
ages. 

Total  cost, 
including 
interest 
on  loans. 

Miles. 

Ft. 

Ft. 

Ft. 

Ft. 

Ft. 

Ft. 

Erie  Canal _ 

1817 

1825 

40 

28 

4 

83 

90 

15 

17,143,790 

Enlargement.. 

1835 

18(52 

35(11 

70 

56 

7 

71 

110 

18 

838,977,831 

852,491.916 

Oswego  Canal 

1825 

1828 

38 

40 

24 

4 

18 

90 

15 

565, 437 

Enlargement.. 

1847 

18(52 

38 

70 

56 

7 

18 

110 

18 

3.077,430 

3, 612, 825 

Cham  plain  Canal . . 

1817 

1822 

06 

50 

35 

5 

20 

100 

18 

921,011 

1.746,063 

2.647,002 

Total  cost  of  the  Erie  Canal  in  detail. 

Original  cost  of  363  miles  of  canal . $7, 143,  790 

Enlargement  of  3504  miles  of  canal .  .  31. 834, 041 


Total  cost,  exclusive  of  feeders,  structures,  and  land  damages  _  18, 439, 849 

Cost  of  feeders. .  . .  . . . . . .  794,618 

Cost  of  structures  for  old  canal  and  enlargement . .  . .  16,  494, 218 

Cost  of  land  damages  for  old  canal  and  enlargement .  3. 249, 146 

Total  interest  on  loans  during  construction  and  enlargement .  13,514,085 


Total  cost,  including  interest  on  loans . . . .  52, 491, 916 

Total  cost  of  repairs,  1827  to  1862. . . . . .  10,995,333 


1  Compiled  from  the  report  of  State  engineer  and  surveyor  of  New  York  for  1862. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


33 


In  1895  $9^000,000  were  appropriated  by  the  State  of  New  York  to 
make  the  locks  twice  their  present  length  and  deepen  the  canal  to  9 
feet.  After  the  expenditure  of  most  of  the  money  the  amount  appro¬ 
priated  was  found  to  be  inadequate  and  the  work  discontinued. 

PROPOSED  SHIP  CANALS. 

In  1835  Capt.  W.  G.  Williams,  United  States  topographical  engi¬ 
neers,  made  surveys  for  live  different  routes  from  Schlossers,  on 
Niagara  River,  above  the  Falls,  to  points  on  the  river  near  Lewiston, 
and  from  Tonawanda  to  Olcott,  on  Lake  Ontario. 

The  estimates  were  on  a  basis  of  a  canal  prism  10  feet  deep,  110  feet 
wide  at  the  surface,  and  with  locks  200  feet  long,  50  feet  wide,  and 
10  feet  deep,  and  varied  from  $2,538,900  for  the  Lewiston  line  to 
$5,041,725  for  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  line. 

In  1853  surveys  were  made  under  the  direction  of  a  State  commis¬ 
sion  from  Tonawanda  to  points  on  Lake  Ontario  for  a  canal  130  feet 
wide  on  bottom,  14  feet  deep,  with  locks  300  feet  long  and  70  feet 
wide.  The  estimates  varied  from  $10,290,500  for  canal  with  single 
locks  to  $13,169,600  for  canal  with  double  locks. 

In  1863  these  lines  were  again  surveyed  by  Mr.  Charles  B.  Stuart 
for  the  General  Government  and  an  estimate  for  a  canal  105  feet  wide 
at  the  surface  and  12  feet  deep,  with  locks  275  feet  long  by  45  feet 
wide,  reported  at  $6,007,000  for  a  canal  with  single  locks  and  $7,680,600 
for  canal  with  double  locks. 

In  1867  Lieut.  Col.  C.  E.  Blunt,  Corps  of  Engineers,  United  States 
Army,  made  surveys  of  3  routes  from  Schlossers,  on  the  Niagara 
River,  about  3  miles  above  the  Falls,  to  the  river  near  Lewiston;  1 
from  Schlossers  to  Lake  Ontario  at  mouth  of  Four-mile  Creek,  1  to 
Wilson,  on  Lake  Ontario,  and  1  from  Tonawanda  to  Olcott,  at  the 
mouth  of  Eighteen-mile  Creek.  The  estimates  were  based  on  a  canal 
90  feet  wide  at  the  bottom,  125  feet  wide  at  the  surface,  and  14  feet 
deep,  with  locks  275  feet  long  and  36  feet  wide,  with  lifts  of  15  feet 
and  16  feet,  and  varied  from  $11,032,000  for  the  Lewiston  line  to 
$12,893,000  for  the  Olcott  line. 

In  1884  Mr.  E.  Sweet,  engineer  and  surveyor  of  New  York  State, 
read  a  paper  before  the  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  outlining 
a  project  for  a  down-grade  canal  18  feet  deep  from  Tonawanda  to 
Utica,  and  thence  by  locks  and  dams  on  the  Mohawk  to  Troy.  The 
project  called  for  a  high  aqueduct  2  miles  long,  at  the  crossing  of  the 
Seneca  River,  where  the  natural  conditions  are  not  suitable  for  safe 
foundations  for  such  a  structure.  It  is,  however,  probable  that,  by 
adopting  a  low-level  canal  from  Oneida  Lake  to  the  Mohawk,  and 
diverting  the  Seneca  River  east  of  Baldwinsville  so  as  to  carry  that 
level  to  Oneida  Lake  and  passing  over  the  outlet  of  Onondaga  Lake, 
such  a  down-grade  canal  could  be  safely  constructed,  the  only  ques¬ 
tion  being  whether  such  route  would  not  be  much  more  expensive  and 
H.  Doc.  149 - 3 


34 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


would  take  30  per  cent  more  time  to  navigate  than  the  route  via  Lake 
Ontario. 

In  compliance  with  the  river  and  harbor  act  of  August  11,  1888, 
a  revision  was  made  of  the  surveys  of  the  Wilson  and  Olcott  routes 
by  Capt.  C.  H.  Palfrey,  Corps  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army,  and 
an  estimate  for  a  canal  100  feet  wide  at  the  bottom,  20|  feet  deep, 
with  locks  400  feet  long,  80  feet  wide,  and  18  feet  lift,  was  reported,  as 


follows : 

Wilson  route.  18.25  miles: 

With  single  locks . .  . . -  $24,201,600 

With  double  locks  ... . . . . . . . . .  29, 347, 900 

Olcott  route,  25.28  miles,  single  locks  . . . .  23,  6i7, 900 


Under  the  provisions  of  the  sundry  civil  appropriation  act  of 
March  2,  1895,  the  President  appointed  James  B.  Angell,  John  E. 
Russell,  and  Lyman  E.  Cooley  members  of  a  commission  to  meet  and 
confer  with  a  similar  commission  from  Canada,  and  report  whether  it 
is  feasible  to  build  such  canals  as  shall  enable  vessels  to  pass  to  and 
fro  from  the  Great  Lakes  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

After  a  year’s  investigation  and  study  of  available  data  the  com¬ 
mission  reported,  “That  it  is  entirely  feasible  to  construct  such  canals 
and  develop  such  channels  as  will  be  adequate  to  any  scale  of  naviga¬ 
tion  that  maybe  desired  between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  seaboard,” 
and  recommended  that  complete  surveys  be  made  on  which  to  base 
projects  for  ship  canals  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  and  from  Lake 
Ontario  to  the  Hudson  River  via  the  Oswego  and  Mohawk  rivers  and 
via  the  St.  Lawrence  River  and  Lake  Champlain. 

In  compliance  with  the  river  and  harbor  act  of  June  3,  1896,  Maj. 
T.  W.  Symons,  Corps  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army,  made  an 
estimate  from  existing  data  for  “cost  of  construction  of  a  ship  canal 
by  the  most  practicable  route,  wholly  within  the  United  States,  from 
the  Great  Lakes  to  the  navigable  waters  of  the  Hudson  River,  of  suf¬ 
ficient  capacity  to  transport  the  tonnage  of  the  lakes  to  the  sea.” 
Major  Symons  interpreted  tonnage  to  mean  the  commerce  of  the 
lakes,  without  regard  to  the  size  of  vessels  in  which  transported  on 
the  lakes,  and  recommended  a  barge  canal  12  feet  deep,  82  feet  wide 
at  the  bottom,  and  estimated  to  cost  $50,000,000. 

The  history  of  the  Erie  Canal  shows  the  amount  of  freight  carried 
to  be  as  follows: 


Tons. 

1837. . 667,151 

1850.. . .  1,635,089 

1860..  . 2,253,533 

1870 . 3,083,132 


Tons. 

1880 .  4,608,651 

1890 .  3,303,929 

1899 .  2,419,084 


Since  1880,  when  the  traffic  of  the  Erie  Canal  reached  a  maximum, 
the  rate  per  ton  mile  on  the  railroads  from  the  lakes  to  the  seaboard 
has  been  about  double  that  on  the  Erie  Canal,  yet  during  that  time 
the  business  of  the  canal  has  diminished  about  one-half,  showing 


i 


DEEP  WATERWAYS.  35 

beyond  question  that,  the  volume  of  freight  which  will  be  shipped  by 
any  given  route  does  not  depend  entirely  upon  the  relative  cost  of 
transportation,  and  that,  unless  the  conditions  which  have  produced 
the  decline  of  traffic  on  the  canal  are  changed,  any  increase  in  the 
carrying  capacity  will  produce  no  material  increase  in  the  volume  of 
freight  carried. 

CANADIAN  CANALS. 

Since  1821  the  Government  of  Canada  has  expended  upward  of 
$80,000,000  on  the  construction  and  improvement  of  canals,  with 
results  somewhat  similar  to  those  developed  by  the  waterways  through 
New  York. 

The  first  Canadian  canals  constructed  were  those  to  overcome  the 
Cedar  and  Coteau  rapids,  which  were  commenced  in  1779  and  com¬ 
pleted  in  1781.  The  locks  were  of  cut  stone,  with  a  chamber  G  feet 
wide,  24  feet  deep,  and  designed  for  boats  carrying  30  barrels  of  flour. 
These  locks  were  enlarged  in  1804  and  1817,  and  abandoned  in  1845. 

A  canal  with  locks  to  overcome  the  rapids  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie  was 
constructed  by  the  Northwest  Company  in  1797  for  passing  loaded 
canoes.  One  of  these  locks  is  still  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation. 

In  the  St.  Lawrence  River  canal  system — 

The  Lachine  Canal  was  begun  in  1821  and  opened  in  1825. 

The  Beauharnois  Canal  was  begun  in  1842  and  opened  in  1845. 

The  Cornwall  Canal  was  begun  in  1834  and  opened  in  1843. 

The  Farrans  Point  Canal  was  begun  in  1844  and  opened  in  1847. 

The  Rapid  Plat  Canal  was  begun  in  1844  and  opened  in  1847. 

The  Galops  Canal  was  begun  in  1844  and  opened  in  184G. 

The  Welland  Canal  was  begun  in  1824  and  opened  in  1829. 

The  Welland  Canal  was  enlarged  between  1841  and  1850,  and  in 
1873  was  made  12  feet  deep,  and  in  1887  was  deepened  to  14  feet.  In 
1871  it  was  decided  to  enlarge  the  canals  of  the  St.  Lawrence  River 
system  to  afford  a  depth  of  12  feet  throughout,  which  project  has  since 
been  modified  and  all  the  locks  on  the  route  made  45  feet  wide  and  14 
feet  deep  on  the  sills.  The  locks  (where  not  made  for  fleets  of  barges) 
are  270  feet  long,  and  are  intended  to  pass  lake  steamers  of  2,000  tons 
capacity.  The  completion  of  this  system  of  waterways  from  Lake  Erie 
to  tide  water,  capable  of  passing  vessels  of  twice  the  capacity  of  the 
proposed  New  York  State  Barge  Canal,  does  not  indicate  that  the  causes 
which  have  produced  the  decline  in  water  transportation  between  the 
lakes  and  the  Atlantic  have  been  overcome. 

LAKE  HARBORS  AND  WATERWAYS. 

The  entrance  to  Niagara  River  from  Lake  Erie  was  originally  a  wind¬ 
ing  channel  about  17  feet  deep  at  mean  lake  level  through  Horse  Shoe 
Reef,  which,  in  accordance  with  a  project  approved  in  1888,  was  deep¬ 
ened  to  18  feet  for  a  width  of  400  feet.  This  cut  through  the  natural 


36 


BEEP  WATERWAYS. 


barrier  to  the  discharge  of  the  lake  undoubtedly  had  the  effect  to 
slightly  lower  the  natural  levels. 

Previous  to  1819,  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek,  which  constitutes  the 
interior  harbor  at  Buffalo,  was  closed  most  of  the  time  by  a  gravel 
bar.  In  1820  and  1821,  two  piers  about  200  feet  apart  were  built 
across  the  bar  by  the  State  of  New  York,  which  were  transferred  to 
the  United  States  in  182(3. 

From  1830  to  1807  various  projects  were  submitted  for  the  improve¬ 
ment  of  the  harbor  entrance  and  construction  of  breakwaters,  but 
none  of  them  were  carried  out  until  1868,  when  it  was  decided  to 
repair  and  extend  the  piers,  dredge  to  a  depth  of  15  feet  between  them, 
and  construct  a  breakwater  4,000  feet  long  in  27  feet  of  water  outside 
of  the  harbor  entrance.  The  project  lias  since  been  gradually  enlarged 
until  the  present,  and  consists  in  extending  the  detached  breakwater 
to  Stony  Point,  about  4  miles  from  the  entrance  of  the  harbor,  and  to 
deepen  the  harbor  for  20-foot  navigation. 

The  21-foot  curve  in  the  lake  is  about  1,200  feet  outside  of  the 
outer  end  of  the  piers,  and  the  30-foot  curve  about  14,000  feet  outside 
of  the  entrance. 

The  entrance  to  the  harbor  and  deep  waterway  channels,  if  less  than 
23  feet  in  depth,  will  be  protected  by  the  breakwater  as  now  con¬ 
structed  ;  but  for  greater  depths  the  channel  excavation  will  be  in  the 
open  lake,  across  which  at  times  there  will  be  very  heavy  currents, 
which  will  probably  produce  rapid  deterioration  of  the  channel  from 
the  material  carried  by  the  currents  and  ice. 

The  harbors  on  the  south  shore  of  Lake  Erie  had  original  depths  of 
from  3  feet  to  6  feet,  which  have  been  generally  improved  by  building 
piers  about  200  feet  apart  and  dredging  between  to  depths  of  16  feet 
to  19  feet.  The  30-foot  curve  in  lake  is  from  3,000  to  4,000  feet  from 
shore  in  front  of  the  harbor  entrances. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Detroit  River,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  sand 
bars,  there  is  a  natural  21-foot  channel  into  the  lake  at  mean  stage, 
but  for  a  30-foot  channel  the  bed  of  the  lake  would  have  to  be  deep¬ 
ened  for  a  distance  of  about  10  miles,  from  which  points  the  route 
through  the  islands,  about  35  miles,  varies  in  depth  between  30  feet 
and  40  feet. 

The  Detroit  River,  with  the  exception  of  a  reach  of  about  5  miles 
near  its  mouth,  has  a  natural  30-foot  channel.  At  the  Limekiln  cross- 
*  ing,  about  1  mile  above  Amlierstburg,  the  original  depth  was  only  13 
feet,  above  and  below  which  for  a  total  distance  of  about  4  miles 
there  were  reefs  of  bowlders  and  rock,  with  depths  of  15  to  18  feet. 
Through  this  reach  of  the  river  a  channel  has  been  excavated  having 
a  width  of  440  and  a  depth  of  18  to  20  feet. 

The  river  currents  are  at  places  across  the  channel,  making  it  dan¬ 
gerous  to  navigate  in  its  present  condition. 

Previous  to  the  improvement  of  the  channel  across  Lake  St.  Clair  a 


DEEP  WATERWAYS.  37 

large  shoal  off  Grosse  Point  obstructed  navigation  for  vessels  drawing 
over  16  feet  at  mean  stage,  through  which  a  channel  20  feet  deep  lias 
been  dredged, 

Lake  St.  Clair  lias  at  present  a  depth  of  20  feet  at  mean  stage  from 
the  head  of  the  Detroit  River  to  the  delta  of  the  St.  Clair  River,  a 
distance  of  about  15  miles,  and  in  order  to  establish  30-foot  navigation 
between  Lakes  Huron  and  Erie  a  channel  10  feet  deep  would  have  to 
be  excavated  in  the  bed  of  the  lake  for  this  distance.  From  the  South 
Channel  of  the  St.  Clair  River  into  the  lake  there  was  originally  a 
narrow  winding  channel  from  9  to  IS  feet  deep.  In  1871  a  straight 
channel  13  feet  deep  between  piers  300  feet  apart  was  completed  from 
the  deep  water  in  the  river  to  the  13-foot  curve  in  the  lake.  This 
channel  was  deepened  to  16  feet  in  1873,  and  to  20  feet  in  1894,  for 
which  depth  the  dredged  channel  extends  1  mile  outside  of  the  piers 
into  the  open  lake. 

The  St.  Clair  River  has  a  natural  depth  of  over  30  feet,  except  across 
the  middle  grounds  at  Port  Huron,  Marysville,  and  St.  Clair,  where 
the  depths  are  from  21  feet  to  24  feet.  The  maintenance  of  a  30-foot 
channel  through  these  reaches  will  require  a  rectification  of  the 
channel  banks  or  dredging  at  frequent  intervals. 

The  general  depth  of  the  foot  of  Lake  Huron,  14  miles  above  the 
head  of  the  St.  Clair  River,  was  originally  about  21  feet  to  27  feet,  over 
which  were  scattered  numerous  shoals  with  only  16  to  18  feet  of  water. 

A  channel  2,400  feet  wide  and  21  feet  deep  at  mean  stage  has  been 
cut  through  these  shoals.  At  the  time  of  tin1  last  complete  survey  of 
the  head  of  the  river,  in  1867,  the  depth  across  the  bar  over  which  the 
lake  discharges  into  the  St.  Clair  River  was  only  27  feet,  and  through 
the  gorge  at  the  head  of  the  river  the  central  depth  was  48  feet. 

Investigations  made  during  1898  and  1899  show  that  a  channel  has 
been  scoured  through  the  bar  75  feet  deep,  and  the  depth  in  the  gorge 
at  the  narrowest  place  increased  from  48  feet  to  66  feet. 

There  is  now  a  channel  over  40  feet  deep  from  the  lake  into  the 
river,  the  increased  outflow  through  which  has  lowered  the  general 
level  of  Lake  Huron  and  Michigan  about  1  foot. 

From  the  foot  of  Lake  Huron  to  Milwaukee  and  Chicago  there 
are  no  natural  obstructions  to  30-foot  navigation  outside  of  harbor 
entrances,  although  the  marking  or  removal  of  some  shoals  at  the  foot 
of  Lake  Michigan  may  be  found  desirable. 

Chicago  River  is  a  small  stream,  which,  before  improvement,  was 
closed  most  of  the  time  by  a  bar  across  its  mouth.  Its  entrance  has 
been  improved  by  piers  and  dredging,  and  the  river  widened  to  a  width 
of  from  200  feet  to  300  feet,  and  dredged  about  18  feet  deep. 

For  30-foot  navigation  on  the  lakes  the  business  of  the  port  would 
have  to  be  transacted  from  slips  constructed  in  the  outer  harbor,  where 
the  depth  of  water  is  now  only  about  14  feet,  or  by  deepening  the  river 
to  30  feet. 


38 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  St.  Marys  River  is  the  only  waterway  from  Lake  Superior  to 
the  lower  lakes,  and  before  improvement  was  obstructed  in  many  places 
by  bowlders  and  rapids,  the  principal  fall  being  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

The  fall  of  the  river  from  Lake  Superior  to  the  head  rapids  was 
about  0.5  foot,  in  the  half  mile  of  rapids  18  feet,  and  from  foot  of 
rapids  to  Lake  Huron  about  2.3  feet.  Since  the  improvement  of  the 
river  and  the  enlargement  of  the  head  of  the  St.  Clair  River,  the  gen¬ 
eral  level  of  Lake  Huron  and  of  the  St.  Marys  River  has  been  lowered 
so  that  the  fall  in  the  rapids  is  now  about  19  feet. 

The  governor  of  the  State  of  Michigan,  in  1837,  recognizing  the 
immense  importance  of  the  timber  and  mineral  resources  of  the  Lake 
Superior  region,  called  the  attention  of  the  State  legislature  to  the 
advisability  of  constructing  a  canal  around  the  rapids  at  Sault  Ste. 
Marie,  and  three  years  later  the  importance  of  the  project  was  dis¬ 
cussed  in  the  United  States  Senate.  Nothing,  however,  was  done  until 
1852,  when  a  grant  of  750,000  acres  of  public  land  was  made  to  the 
State  of  Michigan,  from  the  proceeds  of  which  the  canal  was  to  be 
built.  Work  was  commenced  in  1853  and  the  completed  canal  turned 
over  to  the  State  in  1855.  The  canal  was  5,400  feet  long,  100  feet  wide 
at  water  surface,  and  12  feet  deep,  with  locks  350  feet  long,  70  feet 
wide,  11^  feet  deep  on  the  miter  sills,  and  9  feet  lift. 

The  branch  of  the  St.  Marys  River  flowing  to  the  north  and  east  of 
Sugar  Island  was  considered  best  adapted  for  the  improvement 
required  by  the  depth  of  water  in  the  locks,  and  a  project  was 
approved  in  1856  for  removing  the  obstructions  to  navigation  by 
dredging  to  a  depth  of  14  feet  through  Lake  George  and  the  East 
Neebish  Rapids,  which  work  was  not  completed  until  1871. 

It  was  recognized  soon  after  the  completion  of  the  State  locks  that 
the  dimensions  of  waterway  and  facilities  afforded  were  inadequate 
to  accommodate  the  growing  commerce  of  Lake  Superior,  and  in  1870 
the  General  Government  commenced  the  improvement  of  the  canal, 
comprising  the  deepening  to  16  feet  and  the  construction  of  a  new 
lock  515  feet  long,  80  feet  wide,  16  feet  deep  on  miter  sills,  and  18  feet 
lift,  which  was  completed  in  1881.  The  lowering  of  the  level  of  Lake 
Huron,  which  has  occurred  since  the  completion  of  the  work,  has 
increased  the  lift  to  about  19  feet  and  diminished  the  depth  on  the 
lower  miter  sill  to  about  15  feet. 

In  connection  with  the  lock  construction  at  the  rapids,  the  obstruc¬ 
tions  in  the  river  channel  between  Lake  Superior  and  Lake  Huron 
were  dredged  to  a  depth  of  16  feet,  which  work  was  completed  in  1883. 

The  commerce  of  Lake  Superior  reached  such  proportions  in  1884 
that  a  project  for  a  larger  lock  with  21  feet  of  water  on  miter  sills  was 
proposed,  and  in  1886  the  project  was  modified  and  work  commenced. 
This  lock,  800  feet  long,  100  feet  wide,  and  21  feet  deep,  was  com¬ 
pleted  in  1896,  and  in  the  meantime  a  channel  300  feet  wide  and  20 
feet  deep  was  dredged  through  the  Hay  Lake  and  the  Middle  Neebish 


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FIG. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


39 


Rapids  branch  of  the  St.  Marys  River  to  the  east  of  Sugar  Island. 
A  lock  900  feet  long,  60  feet  wide,  and  21  feet  deep  was  completed 
in  1895  on  the  north  side  of  the  St.  Marys  Rapids  by  the  Canadian 
govern  ment. 

The  channel  of  the  St.  Marys  River  below  the  rapids  is  not  of  sufficient 
capacity  to  allow  the  safe  passage  of  the  volume  of  commerce  already 
developed  between  Lake  Superior  and  the  lower  lake  ports,  and  an 
enlargement  to  a  width  of  600  feet  will  be  a  necessity  in  the  near  future. 
This  enlargement  can  best  be  effected  by  widening  the  present  Hay 
Lake  channel  to  the  Neebish  Rapids,  and  thence  by  a  new  channel 
through  the  West  Neebish  to  Mud  Lake,  which  is  understood  to  be 
the  project  for  improvement  now  contemplated. 

The  distance  through  this  channel  from  30  feet-  of  water  in  Lake 
Superior  to  Lake  Huron  is  58  miles,  of  which  32  miles  will  have  to  be 
deepened  to  establish  a  30-foot  navigable  channel  between  Lakes 
Superior  and  Huron. 

From  the  head  of  the  St.  Marys  River  to  Duluth  there  are  no 
obstructions  to  30-foot  navigation. 

The  project  for  the  improvement  of  Duluth  Harbor,  now  under 
construction,  provides  for  a  20-foot  depth  at  low  stage  of  lake,  between 
piers  300  feet  apart.  To  increase  the  depth  of  this  harbor,  so  as  to 
provide  for  30-foot  navigation,  would  cost  about  15,000,000. 

The  cost  in  the  past  to  the  Government  for  improving  the  entrances 
of  lake  harbors  and  connecting  waterways  1  foot  has  been  about 
$5,000,000,  and  since  this  cost  increases  rapidly  with  the  additional 
depth  and  width  of  channel  secured  an  increase  of  10  feet  in  depth 
for  the  entire  system  of  harbors  and  connecting  waterways  would 
probably  amount  to  over  870,000,000. 

The  controlling  influences  which  fix  the  economical  dimensions  of 
an  intermediate  transportation  route  which  will  satisfy  both  present 
and  future  requirements  are  the  volume  of  existing  traffic,  the  volume 
which  may  be  expected  to  develop  with  improvement  of  transporta¬ 
tion  facilities,  and  the  limiting  depths  of  the  water  routes  to  be  con¬ 
nected. 

From  a  careful  examination  of  the  original  conditions,  the  improve¬ 
ments  which  have  been  made,  and  the  difficulties  to  be  overcome  to 
increase  existing  depths  through  the  lake  waterways  and  in  the  Hud¬ 
son  River,  it  seems  very  evident  that  a  depth  of  30  feet  through  these 
channels  will  be  very  difficult  and  expensive  to  develop  and  maintain. 

The  economical  features  of  the  problem  pertaining  to  the  proper 
dimensions  of  the  connecting  waterways  will  be  discussed  under  the 
chapter  on  the  relative  advantages  of  routes  of  different  depths. 

The  necessity  of  making  a  connecting  waterway  conform  in  dimen¬ 
sions  with  those  of  the  routes  connected  is  well  illustrated  by  the  com¬ 
merce  developed  by  the  various  improvements  which  have  been  made 
for  increasing  transportation  facilities  between  Lakes  Superior  and 
Huron,  shown  on  the  accompanying  figure. 


40 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


OPERATIONS  OF  THE  BOARD. 

At  its  first  meeting,  held  in  Philadelphia  August  11, 1807,  the  Board 
adopted  rules  and  regulations  for  the  guidance  of  its  employees  and 
outlined  the  scope  of  the  investigations  to  be  made.  It  was  deemed 
essential,  in  order  to  complete  the  investigations  required  under  the 
act  in  a  satisfactory  and  economical  manner,  that  the  Board  be 
relieved  from  conducting  the  work  in  compliance  with  the  rules  of  the 
Civil  Service  Commission,  and  on  a  recommendation  to  that  effect  the 
following  instructions  were  issued  by  the  Secretary  of  War: 

The  said  commission  is  authorized  to  rent  such  necessary  office  rooms  (except 
in  the  city  of  Washington),  and.  when  t  tie  exigencies  of  the  service  will  not  admit 
of  advertisement  and  contract,  to  pur  hase  in  open  market  such  materials,  includ¬ 
ing  instruments,  hooks,  mips,  field  outfits,  provisions,  and  other  supplies  of  any 
kind  as  in  its  udgment  are  deemed  necessary  for  the  prosecution  of  its  work,  and 
to  employ  such  assistance  as  it  may  deem  essential  and  to  pay  such  compensation 
therefor  as  it  may  deem  proper. 

Under  these  instructions  the  general  policy  was  adopted  to  have  all 
work  executed  under  the  supervision  of  at  least  one  member  of  the 
Board,  and  that  the  assistant  engineers  having  responsible  charge  of 
divisions  of  the  work  should  select  the  personnel  of  their  respective 
parties,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Board.  General  instructions 
were  prepared  and  issued  for  the  guidance  of  field  and  office  engineers,1 
a  careful  reconnoissance  of  all  lines  was  made  by  the  Board  in  advance 
of  field  work,  and  special  instructions  were  given  on  the  ground  cov¬ 
ering  the  amount  and  character  of  surveys  and  investigations  to  be 
made. 

The  office  of  the  Board  at  Detroit  has  been  under  the  immediate 
personal  supervision  of  Mr.  George  Y.  Wisner,  member  of  the  Board, 
and  he  has  given  close  and  continuous  attention  to  the  work  of  the 
Board  throughout  the  whole  period  of  its  operations.  The  other  mem¬ 
bers  have  at  times  been  compelled  to  give  attention  to  other  important 
matters,  the  services  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Raymond  having  been 
required  elsewhere  for  military  purposes  during  the  war  with  Spain, 
and  Mr.  Noble  having  been  absent  from  the  country  in  connection 
with  his  duties  as  a  member  of  the  Isthmian  Canal  Commission.  The 
active  working  membership  of  the  Board  has  therefore  averaged  only 
two  members  during  most  of  the  period  covered  by  the  work.  All  the 
work  done  undbr  the  Board  has,  however,  been  carefully  examined 
by  every  member,  and  all  points  of  importance  have  been  decided 
by  all.  ' 

Special  investigations  have  been  made  by  the  individual  members 
of  the  board  relative  to  the  form  and  dimensions  of  canal  prism  to 
be  adopted,  the  kind  and  size  of  lock  structures  best  adapted  for  the 
proposed  work,  the  design  of  breakwaters  for  the  lake  terminals,  the 
method  and  cost  of  regulating  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Chain- 


1  See  Appendix  No.  9. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


41 


plain  so  as  to  maintain  as  nearly  a  constant  stage  as  possible,  tlie 
relative  advantages  of  routes  of  different  depths,  the  speed  of  vessels 
in  restricted  waterways,  and  the  unit  prices  to  be  used  in  making 
estimates,  the  results  of  which  have  been  discussed  by  the  full  Board 
as  the  work  progressed,  and  modified  so  as  to  embody  the  views  of  all 
the  members. 

The  survey  of  the  Niagara  ship  canal  was  commenced  in  September, 
1897,  and,  including  borings,  was  completed  in  April,  1898.  The 
work  consisted  in  developing  two  routes  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake 
Ontario,  one  from  Buffalo,  via  the  Niagara  River,  to  Tonawanda,  and 
thence  by  ship  canal  to  Olcott,  on  Lake  Ontario,  and  the  other  by  the 
Niagara  River  to  Lasalle,  near  the  lower  end  of  Grand  Island,  and 
thence  by  ship  canal  to  the  Niagara  River  at  Lewiston,  from  which 
place  there  is  a  good  natural  channel  to  Lake  Ontario.  The  topog¬ 
raphy  of  the  country  was  determined  with  sufficient  accuracy  to 
develop  contours  of  2-foot  intervals  on  the  field  maps,  and  borings 
were  put  down  at  such  points  as  necessary  to  establish  the  profile  of 
the  rock  surface  where  above  canal  grade,  along  the  line  of  the  pro¬ 
posed  waterway  as  finally  located  on  the  field  maps.  Fourteen  dia¬ 
mond-drill  borings  were  afterwards  put  down  along  the  location  for 
these  two  lines  to  ascertain  the  character  of  material  to  be  excavated 
and  the  nature  of  foundations  on  which  structures  are  to  be  founded. 

The  Oswego-Mohawk  route  was  divided  into  two  divisions  and  the 
surveys  and  investigations  carried  on  by  two  parties  working  toward 
each  other  from  the  terminals,  for  the  purpose  of  completing  the  field 
work  in  a  single  year,  if  possible.  Work  was  commenced  in  October, 
1897,  at  Oswego,  and  was  completed  to  the  connection  with  the  work 
of  the  eastern  division  at  Herkimer  in  January,  1899,  with  the  excep¬ 
tion  of  a  substitute  line  afterwards  run  from  Minetto  to  Lake  Ontario 
near  the  western  end  of  Oswego  Harbor,  which  was  surveyed  in  July, 
1899,  and  adopted  as  a  portion  of  the  proposed  route.  Seven  diamond- 
drill  borings  were  put  down  on  the  line  in  1899  to  determine  the  nature 
of  the  rock  to  be  excavated  and  t  he  character  of  foundations  of  pro¬ 
posed  structures. 

The  field  work  of  the  eastern  division  of  the  Oswego  route  was  com¬ 
menced  at  Troy  in  October,  1897,  and  completed  to  Herkimer  in  No¬ 
vember,  1898,  with  the  exception  of  the  survey  of  the  cut-off  line  from 
the  Mohawk  at  Schenectady  to  the  Hudson  below  Albany,  which  was 
finished  in  June,  1899.  The  surveys  were  continued  on  these  lines 
throughout  the  winter  of  1897  and  1898,  but  heavy  snowstorms  and 
extreme  cold  weather  made  the  work  slow  and  expensive.  A  special 
investigation  to  determine  the  availability  of  an  adequate  water  sup¬ 
ply  for  this  route  was  commenced  in  August,  189S,  and  continued  for 
a  year,  during  which  time  reservoirs  were  located  in  the  valleys  of 
the  Black  and  Salmon  rivers  and  a  feeder  line  surveyed  and  mapped 
from  the  reservoirs  to  the  proposed  waterway  near  Rome. 


42 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  surveys  of  the  St.  Lawrence-Champlain  route  were  made  by 
three  different  parties — one  on  the  Hudson  River  division  from  Troy 
to  deep  water  in  Lake  Champlain;  one  from  Lake  Champlain,  at 
Kings  Bay,  to  Lake  St.  Francis,  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  one  on  the 
St. Lawrence  River  division,  from  Ogdensburg  to  Lake  St.  Francis. 

The  field  work  of  the  Hudson  River  division  was  commenced  at 
Troy  in  April,  1898,  and  completed  to  Port  Henry,  on  Lake  Cham¬ 
plain,  in  January,  1899.  The  survey  of  the  route  from  Lake  Cham¬ 
plain  to  Lake  St.  Francis  was  commenced  in  July,  1898,  and  completed 
in  May,  1899  (including  four  diamond-drill  borings),  and  the  St. 
Lawrence  River  investigations  were  commenced  in  August,  1898,  and 
finished  in  June,  1899. 

A  survey  of  the  Hudson  River  from  Troy  to  Hudson  was  commenced 
August,  1898,  and  continued  until  stopped  by  unfavorable  weather 
conditions  in  November,  and  was  resumed  the  following  spring  and 
completed  in  May,  1899. 

Arrangements  were  made  with  the  United  States  engineer  officer  in 
charge  of  the  surveys  of  the  north  and  northwest  lakes  in  1898  by 
which  the  two  offices  were  to  have  the  use  of  the  notes  of  work  done 
under  the  direction  of  either  pertaining  to  the  levels,  slopes,  and 
discharge  of  the  St.  Clair,  Niagara,  and  St.  Lawrence  rivers,  and 
thereby  avoid  the  duplication  of  work. 

Under  this  arrangement  the  slopes  of  the  St.  Clair,  Detroit,  and 
St.  Lawrence  rivers  were  determined  by  lines  of  precise  levels  run  in 
the  fall  of  1898  and  spring  of  1899,  and  permanent  bench  marks  set  . 
for  future  reference. 

Two  series  of  observations  were  made  in  1897  and  1898  to  determine 
the  discharge  of  the  Niagara  River  for  different  stages  of  Lake  Erie, 
and  a  small  number  of  observations  were  made  for  the  discharge  of 
the  St.  Lawrence  River. 

Under  the  direction  of  the  Board  a  special  survey  was  made  of  the 
foot  of  Lake  Erie  and  the  head  of  the  Niagara  River  in  1898,  on  which 
to  base  designs  of  structures  for  regulating  the  level  of  Lake  Erie. 

From  the  investigation  of  this  problem  and  the  design  of  dams  for 
controlling  the  flow  of  the  Oswego,  Mohawk,  and  Hudson  rivers,  it 
was  found  very  desirable  that  the  coefficients  of  the  hydraulic  for¬ 
mula  for  the  flow  of  water  over  dams  be  determined  for  greater  depths 
than  those  on  which  the  coefficients  were  based,  and  through  the 
courtesy  of  Prof.  E.  A.  Fuertes,  director  of  the  College  of  Civil  Engi¬ 
neering  of  Cornell  University,  the  hydraulic  laboratory  of  the  college 
was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Board  for  making  experiments  on 
the  volume  of  flow  over  weirs  of  different  shapes.  Prof.  Gardner  S. 
Williams,  engineer  in  charge  of  the  laboratory,  gratuitously  devoted 
a  large  amount  of  time  to  the  installation  of  apparatus  and  weirs  and 
to  superintending  the  observations,  the  results  of  which  have  been  of 
great  value  to  the  Board  and  will  undoubtedly  be  highly  appreciated 
by  hydraulic  engineers  throughout  the  world. 


FIG. 3 


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CD 

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i 

H 

3 

o 

f— 

o 

T 

0. 

o 

o 

z 

UJ 

CD 

CO 

ZD 

_J 

“5 


CM 

CD 

lO 

05 

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o 

p 

W 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


43 


The  detail  maps  of  surveys  were  completed  as  rapidly  as  possible  as 
the  work  progressed  by  the  office  force  of  the  field  parties,  and  on  the 
completion  of  the  investigations  of  each  division  such  members  of 
the  parties  as  were  needed  for  making  estimates  were  transferred  to 
the  main  office  at  Detroit,  where  the  proposed  routes  were  located  on 
maps  by  the  Board,  and  designs  of  structures  and  estimates  of  cost 
prepared. 

Careful  studies  have  been  made  of  the  proposed  location  of  all  the 
routes  investigated,  with  especial  reference  to  securing  the  best  align¬ 
ment  possible  for  the  waterways  at  a  minimum  cost  and  to  leave 
water-power  privileges  in  as  nearly  their  natural  conditions  as 
possible. 

A  corps  of  efficient  engineers  and  draftsmen  has  been  maintained 
throughout  the  investigations  for  the  purpose  of  making  thorough 
studies  to  determine  the  dimensions  of  structures  and  the  design  of 
lock  gates  best  adapted  for  the  large  locks  and  high  lifts  necessary  to 
secure  economical  construction  and  a  minimum  loss  of  time  for  the 
passage  of  vessels. 


OUTLINE  OF  INVESTIGATIONS. 

The  problems  which  the  Board  lias  investigated  involve  the  appli¬ 
cation  of  the  laws  of  flowing  water  over  dams  where  the  conditions  are 
different  from  those  for  which  hydraulic  formulae  have  been  deter¬ 
mined  and  the  consideration  of  structures  of  greater  magnitude  than 
heretofore  constructed. 

The  investigation  of  the  physical  characteristics  of  routes,  the  slopes 
and  discharge  of  rivers,  the  development  of  a  project  for  the  control 
of  lake  levels,  and  the  design  of  structures  on  which  to  base  estimates 
were  taken  up  as  soon  after  the  organization  of  the  Board  as  the  nec¬ 
essary  engineering  force  could  be  secured,  the  results  of  which  are 
fully  discussed  in  the  respective  appendixes  on  these  subjects. 

PRISM  DIMENSIONS. 

From  a  careful  study  of  the  dimensions  of  the  St.  Clair  Flats  Canal, 
the  Suez  Canal,  the  Manchester  Canal,  the  Amsterdam  Canal,  the  Kiel 
Canal,  and  the  speed  which  steamships  can  maintain  in  these  respec¬ 
tive  waterways,  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  Board  that  the  cross  section  of 
the  canal  prism  should  be  made  such  that  a  speed  of  8  miles  per  hour 
can  be  maintained  on  tangents  without  danger  to  passing  ships  or 
damage  to  the  canal  banks. 

Referring  to  the  discussion  of  the  speed  of  ships  in  the  proposed 
deep  waterway,  in  Appendix  No.  4,  it  will  be  noted  that  for  the  type 
of  vessels  best  adapted  for  the  economical  transportation  of  the  lake 
traffic  the  cross  section  of  canal  prism  necessary  to  permit  a  speed  of 
8  miles  per  hour  is  about  5,500  square  feet  for  a  21-foot  waterway 
and  8,000  square  feet  for  a  80-foot  waterway. 


44 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  standard  cross  sections  on  which  estimates  are  based  and  the 
formula  for  increasing  the  width  of  the  prism  on  curves  are  shown  in 
figures  2  and  3. 

On  open  rivers,  where  the  channel  banks  are  not  defined,  a  bottom 
width  of  600  feet  lias  been  adopted  as  necessary  for  safe  navigation, 
and  on  the  Hudson  and  Mohawk,  where  the  banks  of  the  canalized 
rivers  are  liable  to  erosion  at  times  of  freshets,  the  cross  section  of 
waterway  has  been  designed  with  reference  to  carrying  the  flood  dis¬ 
charge  with  current  velocities  not  exceeding  4  feet  per  second.  On 
the  lower  Mohawk  the  economical  cross  section  for  carrying  the  flood 
discharge  of  the  river  with  a  current  velocity  of  less  than  4  feet  per 
second  requires  a  depth  of  over  21  feet,  for  which  reason  the  dimen¬ 
sions  and  cost  of  the  21-foot  and  30-foot  waterways  are  approximately 
the  same  from  Little  Nose,  6  miles  above  Fultonville,  to  Rotterdam, 
where  the  waterway  leaves  the  river  channel. 

To  locate  a  waterway  21  feet  deep  down  the  Mohawk  Valley  inde¬ 
pendent  of  the  river  channel  would  involve  a  large  amount  of  river 
rectification,  and  would  cost  more  than  to  canalize  the  river  for  21-foot 
navigation.  The  latter  method  of  improvement  will,  however,  give  a 
channel  which  can  be  navigated  in  less  time  and  with  less  danger  of 
accident  than  the  former. 

Referring  to  the  estimates  of  the  Mohawk  and  the  Champlain 
routes,  it  will  be  noted  that  the  30-foot  waterway  by  the  former  and 
the  21-foot  waterway  by  the  latter  route  are  the  cheapest  to  con¬ 
struct.  This  apparent  anomaly  is  due  to  the  large  amount  of  rook 
excavation  required  for  the  30-foot  waterway  through  the  divides 
between  the  St.  Lawrence  and  Lake  Champlain  and  between  Lake 
Champlain  and  the  Hudson  River,  and  to  the  large  dimension  of 
prism  required  on  the  21 -foot  Mohawk  waterway  to  carry  the  flood 
discharge  of  the  river. 

In  order  to  determine  the  probable  speed  which  can  be  maintained 
by  steamships  on  t lie  proposed  deep  waterway,  the  Board  has  col¬ 
lected,  as  far  as  possible,  all  the  available  data  relative  to  the  per¬ 
formance  of  steamers  on  the  lakes  and  connecting  channels  and  on 
the  waterways  of  Europe,  and  has  utilized  the  results  to  verify  the 
theoretical  deductions  derived  in  the  discussion  of  the  speed  of  ships 
in  Appendix  No.  4. 


DIMENSIONS  OF  STRUCTURES. 

The  dimensions  of  lock  structures  have  been  designed  with  refer¬ 
ence  to  the  type  carrier  likely  to  use  the  waterway,  and  to  the  impor¬ 
tance  of  the  amount  of  time  required  to  pass  a  ship  through  the  water¬ 
way  in  relation  to  the  number  of  ships  which  can  be  passed  through 
a  lock  in  a  given  time.  The  time  which  will  be  consumed  by  a  vessel 
in  locking  through  the  system  will  depend  upon  the  number  of  locks 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


45 


and  the  time  required  at  each,  while  the  number  which  can  be  passed 
per  day  will  depend  upon  the  average  time  required  for  lockage. 

It  is  therefore  evident  that  with  high  lifts  and  less  number  of  locks 
the  time  between  terminals  will  be  diminished  and  the  annual  traffic 
capacity  decreased. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  increase  of  detention  at  large  locks  only 
amounts  to  the  additional  time  required  to  fill  the  lock  chamber,  the 
Board  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  quick 
time  of  transit  through  the  waterways,  and  from  developing  ship¬ 
building  industries  on  the  lakes,  is  of  more  importance  than  a  small 
decrease  in  traffic  capacity. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  noted  that  the  sailing  time  between 
the  upper  lake  ports  and  the  seaboard  is  less  than  the  running  time 
required  by  freight  trains  between  the  same  terminals. 

The  dimensions  of  lock  structures  which  will  best  subserve  the  traf¬ 
fic  of  the  waterway  and  the  design  of  the  lock  gates  best  adapted  for 
operating  the  locks  have  been  investigated  under  the  direction  of  the 
Board  by  specialists  in  such  construction,  the  results  of  which  are 
fully  discussed  in  Appendixes  Nos.  1  and  2. 

The  single  locks  which  have  been  designed  for  a  30-foot  waterway 
are  to  be  740  feet  long,  80  feet  wide,  and  have  lifts  to  conform  with 
the  present  development  of  water  power  on  the  routes.  Where  flights 
of  locks  are  necessary,  a  duplicate  set  is  provided,  having  a  width  of 
60  feet.  For  a  21-foot  waterway,  the  locks,  whether  single  or  double, 
are  to  be  600  feet  long,  60  feet  wide,  and  have  lifts  the  same  as  in  the 
30-foot  waterway.  Consideration  has  been  given  to  the  advisabil¬ 
ity  of  making  the  locks  of  the  21-foot  waterway  80  feet  wide,  for  the 
purpose  of  floating  large  ships,  light,  from  the  lake  shipyards  to  the 
seaboard. 

At  the  Lewiston  escarpment,  at  the  Long  Sault  Rapids,  on  the  St. 
Lawrence,  and  at  Champlain  the  natural  conditions  are  such  as  to 
make  lifts  of  from  40  feet  to  50  feet  desirable. 

From  the  results  of  the  investigation  of  lock  gates,  discussed  in 
Appendix  No.  2,  it  appears  that  steel  double-leaf  mitering  gates,  with 
horizontal  girder  frames,  fulfill  the  requirements  for  wide  locks  with 
high  lifts,  and  this  type  of  gate  has  been  made  the  basis  for  designs 
and  estimates. 

DAMS  AND  SLUICES. 

The  dams  for  the  Mohawk  and  Hudson  rivers  have  been  designed 
with  as  great  a  length  as  the  natural  conditions  will  permit,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  the  range  in  stage  from  high  to  low  water  as  small 
as  possible.  This  range  can  lie  still  further  reduced  at  some  of  the 
dams  by  the  use  of  movable  crests  on  the  dams  for  holding  up  the 
level  of  the  pools  during  periods  of  low  water. 

At  locations  where  long  dams  are  not  desirable  sluice  gates  of  the 


46 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Stoney  type  are  provided,  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  full  control 
of  the  river  discharge.  With  four  exceptions,  all  the  dams  can  he 
constructed  on  rock  foundations.  At  Ihe  locations  where  rock  is  not 
available  for  foundations  the  heads  on  t lie  dams  will  be  small,  making 
it  easy  to  construct  safe  structures. 

BREAKWATERS. 

At  the  Olcott  and  Oswego  terminals  of  the  Niagara  Ship  Canal  and 
of  the  Oswego- Mohawk  route  artificial  harbors  protected  by  break¬ 
waters  will  be  necessary.  A  careful  study  has  been  made  of  the  type 
of  breakwater  best  adapted  to  the  conditions  at  these  harbors,  and  the 
result  of  the  investigations  are  given  in  Appendix  No.  3. 

CORNELL  EXPERIMENTS. 

In  the  investigations  to  determine  the  volume  of  discharge  of  the 
Oswego,  Mohawk,  and  Hudson  rivers  it  became  apparent  from  the 
start  that  the  existing  data  relative  to  the  flow  of  water  over  dams 
were  inadequate  to  determine  the  discharge  where  the  depth  on  the 
crest  of  the  dam  was  much  over  1.5  feet. 

The  uncertainty  as  to  the  value  of  the  coefficient  of  the  weir  formula 
which  should  be  used  for  dams  of  different  cross  sections  and  for  dif¬ 
ferent  depths  on  the  crests  made  it  evident  that  additional  investiga¬ 
tions  would  be  necessary  before  satisfactory  estimates  could  be  made 
of  Ihe  value  of  water-power  rights,  which  may  lie  modified,  or  of  the 
amount  of  slope  walls  and  bank  protection  which  would  be  needed 
between  the  limits  of  the  high  and  low  water  stages  of  the  proposed 
waterway. 

In  the  fall  of  1808  the  experiments  of  II.  Bazin,  published  in  the 
Annales  des  Ponts  et  Chaussees  became  available  and  established  the 
coefficients  for  a  great  variety  of  different  shaped  weirs,  but,  unfor¬ 
tunately,  for  depths  of  less  than  1.5  feet  on  the  crests.  Through  the 
courtesy  of  Prof.  A.  E.  Fuertes,  director  of  the  College  of  Civil  Engi¬ 
neering  of  Cornell  University,  the  hydraulic  laboratory  of  that  insti¬ 
tution  was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Board,  and  Prof.  Gardner 
S.  Williams,  engineer  in  charge,  in  cooperation  with  Mr.  G.  W.  Rafter, 
acting  for  the  Board,  made  an  extensive  series  of  observations  to 
extend  the  coefficients  of  the  Bazin  formula  up  to  depths  of  5  feet  on 
the  crest  of  dams  having  cross  sections  similar  to  those  on  t lie  Mohawk 
and  Hudson  rivers.  The  results  of  these  observations  are  fully  dis¬ 
cussed  in  Appendix  No.  IB. 

BRIDGES. 

The  railroad  and  highway  bridges  for  crossing  the  waterways  are 
designed  for  250  feet  clear  openings  on  the  30-foot  channel  and  240 
feet  on  the  21-foot  channel.  At  most  of  the  crossings  either  swing 
or  bascule  bridges  will  be  required,  but  in  the  case  of  the  New  York 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


47 


Central  Railroad  crossing  near  Utica  it  will  be  necessary  to  change 
the  grade  of  the  railroad  for  a  considerable  distance  and  cross  the 
waterway  with  a  fixed  span.  In  a  few  cases  of  highway  crossings, 
where  the  traffic  is  light,  steam  ferries  have  been  provided  for  instead 
of  swing  bridges. 

UNIT  PRICES. 

In  establishing  unit  prices  for  estimates  the  Board  has  carefully 
considered  the  prices  paid  on  the  large  works  throughout  the  country 
involving  similar  construction,  and  has  secured  the  advice  and  opin¬ 
ions  of  some  of  the  most  experienced  contracting  engineers  in  this 
class  of  work.  It  is  the  opinion  of  the  Board  that  the  prices  used 
fairly  represent  the  average  cost  which  will  be  required  to  construct 
the  different  divisions  of  the  waterways  under  normal  conditions  of 
doing  work. 

CONTROL  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 

The  investigation  of  the  subject  of  lake  regulation  has  occupied  the 
attention  of  the  Board  since  its  first  organization  in  1897,  and  a  pre¬ 
liminary  report  embodying  the  results  and  conclusions  was  submitted 
in  December,  1899,  and  printed  in  House  Doc.  No.  200,  Fifty-sixth 
Congress,  first  session. 

It  was  the  intention  of  the  Board  to  give  the  results  of  its  investi¬ 
gations  on  the  subject  in  its  complete  report  on  deep  waterways,  and 
the  discussion  has  therefore  been  embodied  in  the  report  as  Appendix 
No.  (3. 

The  regulating  works  in  connection  with  a  ship  canal  from  Lake 
Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  form  a  complete  project  of  improvement  with¬ 
out  the  lock  and  canal  around  the  rapids  at  the  head  of  Niagara  River, 
provided  for  in  the  preliminary  report,  which  has  been  omitted  from 
the  accompanying  estimates. 

Under  the  influence  of  varying  relative  supply,  evaporation,  and 
discharge,  the  monthly  mean  level  of  Lake  Erie  has  had  an  extreme 
variation  of  4.(3  feet  during  the  past  seventy  years.  The  low  level 
generally  occurs  at  a  time  of  year  when  navigation  is  most  active. 
If  the  level  of  the  lake  could  be  constantly  maintained  at  or  near  a 
high  stage,  navigation  would  be  greatly  benefited  by  securing  a  max¬ 
imum  depth  at  the  time  when  it  is  most  needed  and  by  the  practical 
deepening  of  the  lake  harbors. 

To  maintain  the  level  of  a  lake  at  or  near  some  fixed  stage,  the  dis¬ 
charge  must  be  controlled  so  that  it  will  always  be  approximately  equal 
to  the  difference  between  the  supply  of  water  to  the  lake  and  the  evap¬ 
oration  from  its  surface.  In  the  case  of  Lake  Erie  this  can  only  be 
accomplished  by  establishing  regulating  works  in  or  near  the  dis¬ 
charging  waterway.  These  works  must  be  so  arranged  that  they  will 
not  only  maintain  the  level  of  the  lake  at  or  near  the  fixed  stage 
adopted,  but  also  so  that  they  will  produce  no  injurious  effects  upon 


48 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


the  lakes  and  waterways  from  which  a  part  of  the  supply  is  derived  or 
upon  those  which  receive  the  discharge. 

This  is  the  problem  which  the  Board  has  investigated.  For  the 
details  of  its  investigation,  the  methods  employed,  the  data  and  rea¬ 
soning  upon  which  they  are  based,  and  the  results  obtained,  the  Board 
refers  to  the  paper  on  Lake  Regulation,  by  Mr.  George  Y.  Wisner, 
member  of  the  Board,  which  is  appended  to  this  report.  This  paper 
was  prepared  by  Mr.  Wisner  in  consultation  with  the  other  members  of 
the  Board,  and  it  fully  expresses  their  views.  In  this  report,  there¬ 
fore,  it  is  only  necessary  to  give  a  brief  statement  of  the  conclusions 
at  which  the  Board  has  arrived. 

REGULATING  WORKS. 

The  Board  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  best  location  for  works  for  regu¬ 
lating  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  is  at  the  foot  of  the  lake,  just  below  Buf¬ 
falo  Harbor.  The  location  in  the  Niagara  River  below  Tonawanda 
has  been  advocated,  but  the  Board  finds  upon  investigation  that  regu¬ 
lation  by  works  at  this  point  would  be  less  effective  and  much  more 
expensive  than  at  the  adopted  location. 

The  works  projected  by  the  Board  are  designed  to  distribute  the 
discharge  of  the  lake  so  as  to  reduce  its  variation  of  level  to  a  small 
amount.  The  result  can  not  be  attained  by  the  use  of  submerged  fixed 
weirs  only,  and  a  series  of  sluices  is  added  to  secure,  in  combination 
with  fixed  weirs,  the  control  desired.  The  weirs  will  be  constructed 
of  concrete  blocks  and  will  have  an  aggregate  length  of  2,000  feet. 
The  sluices,  13  in  number,  of  the  Stoney  type,  will  each  have  an  open¬ 
ing  of  80  feet,  making  an  aggregate  of  1,040  feet.  The  piers  separat¬ 
ing  the  sluice  openings  will  be  of  substantial,  first-class  masonry.  The 
sluices  can  be  operated  under  rules  easily  formulated,  and,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  Board,  amply  provide  for  conditions  more  unfavorable 
than  any  recorded. 

The  location  of  these  works  and  the  details  of  their  design  are  shown 
on  plates  84,  85,  80,  and  87.  Their  estimated  cost  is  $796,923. 

EFFECT  UPON  LAKE  ERIE. 

The  extreme  high-water  stage  of  Lake  Erie  is  about  575  feet  above 
tide  water.  The  level  adopted  by. the  Board  for  regulation  is  574.5 
feet,  or  about  0.5  foot  below  the  level  of  extreme  high  water.  This 
is  the  lowest  elevation  at  which  regulation  can  be  effected  without 
enlarging  the  cross  section  of  the  river  at  the  gorge.  Should  it,  for 
any  reason,  be  considered  desirable  to  regulate  the  lake  at  a  lower 
level,  the  desired  result  can  be  accomplished  by  enlarging  the  cross 
section  of  the  river  so  as  to  provide  for  the  maximum  discharge  at 
the  adopted  level. 

The  Board  is  of  the  opinion  that  with  the  works  proposed  the  level 
of  the  lake  can  be  maintained  during  the  season  of  navigation  within 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


49 


about  0.6  foot  below  the  level  adopted  for  regulation,  under  all  con¬ 
ditions  of  supply  heretofore  recorded.  Considerable  changes  of  level 
due  to  violent  winds  would  be  temporary  and  infrequent,  and,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  Board,  would  not  seriously  interfere  with  the  regula¬ 
tion  of  the  lake  level. 

EFFECT  ON  THE  NIAGARA  RIVER. 

The  current  velocities  in  the  Niagara  River,  below  the  point,  where 
the  canal  enters  it,  will  not  be  increased  by  the  operation  of  the  reg¬ 
ulating  works. 

EFFECT  ON  LAKE  ONTARIO. 

The  modification  of  the  outflow  of  Lake  Erie  proposed  for  the  reg¬ 
ulation  of  its  level  will  not  materially  change  the  total  volume  of 
annual  discharge,  and  will  amount  to  only  about  one-fifth  of  the  vari¬ 
ation  of  the  discharge  for  different  years  under  present  conditions. 
The  effect  of  this  modification  upon  Lake  Ontario  will  be  to  slightly 
increase  the  rate  of  rise  in  the  spring  and  make  the  date  of  maximum 
stage  a  little  earlier.  This  will  not  injure  the  navigation  interests  of 
the  lake. 

EFFECT  ON  THE  ST.  LAWRENCE  RIVER. 

The  Board  regrets  that  it  has  been  unable  to  obtain  reliable  data  con¬ 
necting  the  discharge  of  the  St.  Lawrence  River  with  the  varying  levels 
of  Lake  Ontario.  The  modification  of  the  flow  of  the  Niagara  River 
which  will  be  produced  by  the  proposed  regulating  works  is  so  small, 
when  compared  with  other  causes  of  change  of  level,  that  the  Board 
is  of  the  opinion  that  it  can  not  affect  the  depths  of  the  waterways 
receiving  the  discharge  to  any  material  extent. 

The  effect  of  the  regulation  of  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  herein  pro¬ 
posed  would  be  to  diminish  the  slopes  of  the  Detroit  and  St.  Clair 
rivers  for  any  given  volume  of  discharge  and  to  redistribute  the  flow. 
In  the  opinion  of  the  Board,  the  result  of  these  changes  would  be  to 
raise  the  low-water  stage  about  3  feet  in  Lake  Erie,  2  feet  in  Lake  St. 
Clair,  and  1  foot  in  Lake  Huron.  This  would  obviously  be  of  great 
benefit  to  navigation. 

If  the  channel  from  Lake  Huron  to  Lake  Erie  should  be  made  30 
feet  deep  the  low-water  plane  would  be  slightly  lower,  the  difference 
in  level  probably  not  exceeding  0.3  foot. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  Board  is  of  the  opinion  that  works  can  be  established  for  regulat¬ 
ing  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  which  will  be  of  great  value  to  navigation, 
not  only  in  Lake  Erie,  but  also  in  the  upper  lakes  and  connecting 
waterways,  and  will  be  of  no  injury  to  the  lower  waterways  of  the  lake 
system,  and  that  such  works  can  be  constructed  at  a  cost  which  will 
be  small  compared  with  their  benefit  to  commerce. 

II.  Doc.  149 - 4 


50 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


In  arriving  at  these  conclusions  the  Board  has  utilized  all  the  infor¬ 
mation  it  has  been  able  to  obtain  within  the  period  covering  its  inves¬ 
tigations.  Additional  observations  are  needed  for  more  precise  deter¬ 
minations  of  the  probable  effects  of  regulation  upon  the  levels  of  the 
St.  Clair,  Detroit,  and  St.  Lawrence  rivers,  and  the  probable  condi¬ 
tions  of  flow  from  the  upper  lakes.  The  Board  is,  however,  of  the 
opinion  that  the  uncertainties  arising  from  this  lack  of  complete  data 
are  fully  covered  by  the  ample  provision  made  for  varying  the  dis¬ 
charge  at  the  regulating  works. 

Attention  is  invited  to  the  fact  that  the  project  is  of  international 
character,  and  can  only  be  carried  out  after  agreement  between  the 
United  States  and  Canadian  Governments. 

NIAGARA  SHIP  CANAL. 

The  project  for  a  waterway  from  the  lakes  to  the  Atlantic  suitable 
for  transporting  the  commerce  of  the  upper  lakes  has  prominently 
attracted  public  attention  for  nearly  a  century,  during  which  time  the 
citizens  of  New  York  have  maintained  that  such  waterway  must  be 
built  directly  across  the  State,  as  an  aid  in  building  up  the  financial 
and  commercial  supremacy  of  New  York  City,  while  the  people  farther 
west  have  insisted  that  the  canal  should  be  constructed  on  the  route 
best  adapted  for  transporting  the  commerce  of  the  country  tributary 
to  the  lakes. 

In  1812  the  governor  and  judges  of  the  Territory  of  Michigan  resolved 
unanimously  “that  in  their  opinion  the  canal  contemplated  by  the 
commissioners  of  internal  navigation  in  the  State  of  New  York  from 
Black  Rock  to  Rome  would  not  be  so  desirable  as  a  canal  around  the 
cataract  of  Niagara  and  another  by  the  falls  of  Oswego.”  In  regard 
to  which  the  New  York  commissioners  reported  that  “  they  had  too 
much  respect  for  these  gentlemen  to  suppose  they  would  have  given 
their  opinion  without  information  and  consideration,  and  therefore 
must  infer  that  the  information  received  was  not  founded  in  fact,  or 
that,  not  having  habitually  turned  their  attention  to  objects  of  this 
sort,  they  were  not  so  well  cpialified  to  judge  as  the  consciousness  of 
intelligence  respecting  matters  more  familiar  to  their  minds  may  have 
led  them  to  suppose.” 

It  was  then,  and  is  still,  openly  admitted  that  the  St.  Lawrence  River 
is  the  natural  outlet  and  the  line  of  least  resistance  for  a  waterway 
from  the  Great  Lakes  to  tide  water,  but  that  for  New  York  State  to 
permit  such  canal  to  be  built  would  be  to  commit  commercial  suicide. 

The  advocates  of  this  theory  have  left  out  of  consideration  the  fact 
that  the  larger  portion  of  the  commerce  between  the  lakes  and  tide 
water  is  of  a  domestic  nature  and  that  the  only  benefits  to  be  derived 
from  export  traffic  through  a  port  are  those  from  levying  tribute  on  the 
foreign  commerce  of  a  neighboring  State. 

It  is  an  established  fact  that  a  waterway  of  sufficient  capacity  to 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


51 


transport  the  tonnage  of  the  lakes  to  the  sea  can  be  constructed  via 
Lake  Ontario  for  less  cost  than  by  any  other  route,  and  that  a  steamer 
will  traverse  it  in  about  three-quarters  the  time  required  on  a  direct 
waterway  of  similar  dimensions  from  Lake  Erie  to  the  Mohawk  at 
Utica.  If,  therefore,  the  object  desired  is  to  develop  a  waterway 
which  will  best  subserve  the  interests  of  the  lake  commerce,  it  is 
apparent  that  the  route  should  be  through  Lake  Ontario  and  that  a 
ship  canal  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  should  be  an  essential 
part  of  it. 

PHYSICAL  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  ROUTE. 

The  physical  conditions  and  the  obstacles  to  be  overcome  in  con¬ 
structing  a  waterway  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  are  similar  for 
all  of  the  proposed  routes. 

From  Lake  Erie  to  the  proposed  site  for  Lock  No.  1  the  canal  prism 
will  have  to  lie  excavated  through  a  limestone  ridge,  with  the  surface 
of  rock  varying  from  10  feet  to  21  feet  below  mean  level  of  the  lake. 

From  Lock  No.  1  to  Tonawanda  the  prism  of  the  waterway,  where 
below  bottom  of  the  river,  will  be  through  sand  and  gravel  except 
opposite  Strawberry  Island,  where  rock  is  found  above  grade. 

From  Tonawanda  to  Lasalle  the  surface  of  the  shale  ridge  is  from  10 
feet  to  20  feet  below  the  low-water  level  of  the  river.  The  land  grad¬ 
ually  rises  from  the  river  to  the  top  of  the  escarpment,  extending  from 
above  Lewiston  to  Lockport,  with  an  average  elevation  of  about  620 
feet  above  mean  tide  at  New  York. 

A  little  west  of  Lockport  a  narrow  ravine,  known  as  the  “  Gulf,” 
cuts  through  the  escarpment,  which  has  been  generally  regarded  as 
the  best  location  for  locking  down  to  the  lower  plateau.  Compara¬ 
tive  estimates,  based  on  accurate  surveys,  indicate  that  a  better  line 
can  be  located  west  of  the  “  Gulf,”  on  which  the  waterway  can  be 
constructed  at  less  cost-. 

From  the  foot  of  the  escarpment  at  Lockport  the  plateau,  consisting 
of  red  shale,  gradually  falls  toward  Lake  Ontario. 

The  top  of  the  escarpment  above  Lewiston  has  practically  the  same 
elevation  as  at  Lockport,  but  lias  a  steeper  incline  toward  Lake  Onta¬ 
rio  than  the  latter.  The  construction  of  a  waterway  by  either  route 
will  involve  the  construction  of  locks  having  high  lifts. 

On  the  Lewiston  route  the  Niagara  River  constitutes  a  first-class 
natural  harbor  for  the  Lake  Ontario  terminal,  whereas  for  all  the 
other  routes  shown  on  plate  92  artificial  harbors  will  have  to  be  con¬ 
structed. 

The  total  fall  from  the  plane  of  the  proposed  regulated  stage  of  Lake 
Erie  to  that,  of  standard  low  water  in  Lake  Ontario  is  330  feet. 

The  plane  of  standard  low  water  is  that  adopted  in  the  report  of  the 
Deep  Waterway  Commission  of  1896,  and  is  that  stage  “at  or  below 
which  monthly  mean  water  has  stood  not  more  than  an  aggregate  of 


52 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


ten  months  during  the  season  of  navigation  out  of  the  aggregate  of 
18  lowest  monthly  mean  waters  occurring  between  1860  and  1895.” 

FORMER  SURVEYS  AND  EXAMINATIONS. 

Five  surveys  and  10  different  estimates  have  been  made  for  an 
American  canal  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario,  in  seven  of  which 
two  different  routes  have  been  considered,  one  from  Niagara  River 
above  the  falls  to  Lewiston,  and  thence  by  the  Niagara  River  to  Lake 
Ontario;  and  the  other  from  Tonawanda  to  Lake  Ontario  at  Olcott. 
All  these  surveys  and  estimates  contemplated  the  use  of  Niagara  River 
from  Lake  Erie  to  the  entrance  of  the  canal  as  a  part  of  the  route, 
but  as  the  natural  low- water  depth  at  the  head  of  the  river  is  only  17 
feet,  mean  stage,  any  greater  depth  of  water  would  necessitate  the 
deepening  of  the  outlet  of  the  lake  or  a  canal  around  the  rapids. 
Since  to  deepen  the  outlet  would  lower  the  general  level  of  Lake  Erie, 
a  canal  around  the  rapids  is  the  only  method  by  which  a  deep  water¬ 
way  can  be  constructed  without  reducing  the  depths  of  lake,  harbors, 
and  channels. 

The  estimate  of  $23,017,900  made  in  1889  for  a  waterway  100  feet 
wide  and  20.5  feet  deep  from  Tonawanda  to  Olcott,  did  not  include 
anything  for  the  improvement  of  the  head  of  the  river,  and  therefore 
does  not  constitute  a  complete  project  for  a  deep  waterway  between 
Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario.  All  comparative  surveys  indicate  that  the 
route  via  Lewiston  and  Niagara  River  could  be  constructed  at  less 
cost  than  any  of  the  lines  direct  to  Lake  Ontario,  but  for  various  rea¬ 
sons  the  route  from  Tonawanda  to  Lake  Ontario  at  Olcott  has  gener¬ 
ally  been  preferred. 

The  basis  on  which  the  comparative  merits  of  the  two  routes  should 
be  established  is  the  relative  cost  of  construction  and  annual  main¬ 
tenance  of  the  respective  waterways,  and  the  time  required  by  a  type 
carrier  of  given  speed,  in  open  water,  to  pass  over  the  waterways 
between  points  common  to  both  lines. 

DEEP  WATERWAY  SURVEY. 

A  party  was  organized  under  the  direction  of  the  Board  by  Mr.  C. 
L.  Harrison,  C.  E.,  in  September,  1897,  for  making  surveys  and  exam¬ 
inations  for  developing  projects  for  21-foot  and  30-foot  waterways 
between  Lake  Erie  and  Lake  Ontario.  The  topography  of  the  coun¬ 
try  was  determined  with  reference  to  developing  contours  at  2-foot, 
intervals  on  the  final  maps.  All  buildings,  fences,  roads,  creeks,  cul¬ 
verts,  bridges,  timber  land,  and  railroads  were  located,  and  the  width, 
depth,  cross  section,  and  volume  of  flow  of  streams  for  high,  low,  and 
medium  stages  determined  wherever  possible. 

Borings  were  made  at  such  intervals  and  depths  as  were  necessary 
to  determine  the  elevation  of  the  surface  of  rock,  where  above  grade, 
and  the  kind  of  material  to  be  excavated,  and  a  sufficient  number  of 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


53 


diamond-drill  holes  were  bored  to  establish  the  strike  and  dip  of  the 
rock  strata,  the  nature  of  the  rock  to  be  excavated,  and  the  character 
of  foundations  where  structures  were  to  be  located. 

The  routes  and  limits  of  the  section  of  country  to  be  covered  by  the 
surveys  were  fixed  by  a  reconnoissance  made  by  the  Board. 

The  two  routes  investigated  commence  at  deep  water  in  Lake  Erie, 
off  the  entrance  to  Buffalo  Harbor,  and  running  through  Black  Rock 
Harbor  to  near  the  head  of  Squaw  Island,  lock  down  to  the  level  of 
the  river  below  the  rapids,  and  then  follow  the  general  course  of  the 
river  to  Tonawanda  and  Cayuga  Island,  at  which  points,  respectively, 
the  two  waterways  leave  the  river. 

LASALLE-LEWISTON  ROUTE. 

This  route  starts  from  Lake  Erie  at  an  elevation  corresponding  to 
the  proposed  regulated  stage  for  the  lake1  (574.5  feet)  and,  lock¬ 
ing  down  into  the  river  below  the  rapids  on  the  same  line  as  the 
Tonawanda-Olcott  route,  continues  down  the  river  to  the  head  of 
Cayuga  Island,  and  thence  on  a  tangent,  with  a  low-water  level  of 
563.5  feet,  to  within  a  half  mile  of  the  foot  of  Lock  No.  2,  at  the  head 
of  the  escarpment  above  Lewiston.  From  the  top  of  the  escarpment 
the  route  passes  down  the  bluff  to  the  Niagara  about  a  half  mile  below 
Lewiston,  with  6  double  locks  of  40  feet  lift  each  and  2  double  locks 
of  39.4  feet  lift  each.  The  fall  of  the  river  from  the  foot  of  Lock 
No.  9  to  Lake  Ontario  (6  miles)  is  about  0.2  foot,  making  the  total  lock¬ 
age  and  slope  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  330  feet. 

The  elevation  of  the  top  of  the  ridge  above  Lewiston  at  the  point 
of  maximum  cutting  is  620  feet  above  tide  water,  or  56.5  feet  above 
the  proposed  low-water  surface  of  the  canal,  and  for  a  distance  of  6 
miles  the  prism  of  the  waterway  is  entirely  in  rock. 

MATERIAL  TO  BE  EXCAVATED. 

From  deep  water  in  Lake  Erie  to  the  foot  of  Lock  No.  1,  at  the  head 
of  Squaw  Island,  1.8  miles  below  site  of  the  regulating  work,  there  is 
a  ridge  of  hard  limestone  almost  entirely  bare,  except  in  Black  Rock 
Harbor,  where  it  is  covered  with  sand,  gravel,  and  clay.  Below  Lock 
No.  1  the  rock  drops  below  grade,  and,  with  the  exception  of  about 
a  mile  opposite  Strawberry  and  Frog  islands,  does  not  interfere  with 
30-foot  navigation  of  the  river  above  Tonawanda. 

From  Tonawanda  to  Lasalle,  about  4  miles,  rock  composed  of  Salima 
shales  is  from  10  feet  to  20  feet  below  water  level,  and  from  Lasalle 
to  the  escarpment  above  Lewiston  (7.5  miles)  the  excavation  will  be 
in  Niagara  limestone  overlaid  with  clay,  sand,  and  gravel. 

The  excavation  for  the  six  double  locks  down  the  escarpment  will 
be  through  limestone,  sandstone,  and  shales,  and  from  the  foot  of 

1  Estimates  have  been  made  for  level  of  Lake  Erie  regulated  and  for  standard 
low  stage  of  the  lakes. 


54 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


this  flight  to  the  Niagara  River  the  cutting  will  be  in  shales  covered 
to  about  one-half  the  depth  of  the  cut*  with  sand,  gravel,  clay,  and 
bowlders. 

Five  diamond-drill  holes  were  put  down  along  the  alignment  of 
the  proposed  route  to  determine  the  character  of  the  material  to  be 
excavated  and  the  nature  of  the  foundations  where  structures  are  to 
be  located. 

The  limestone,  sandstone,  and  shales  between  Niagara  River  and 
the  foot  of  Lock  No.  7  will  probably  cost  about  the  same  per  cubic 
yard  to  excavate,  but  from  Lock  No.  7  to  the  lower  end  of  the  canal 
the  rock  is  a  soft  shale  and  can  be  taken  out  for  about  three-fourths 
the  unit  price  for  excavating  limestone. 

From  the  lower  end  of  the  canal  to  Lake  Ontario  (6  miles)  the  river 
is  from  40  feet  to  60  feet  deep  and  forms  one  of  the  finest  harbors  on 
the  Lakes.  The  bar  in  Lake  Ontario  outside  of  the  entrance  to  the 
river  has  a  depth  on  its  crest  of  24  feet  at  standard  low  water,  and  is 
composed  of  sand  and  gravel. 

STREAMS  CROSSED. 

Three  small  streams,  Cayuga  Creek,  Gill  Creek,  and  Fish  Creek,  are 
intersected  by  the  proposed  waterway.  These  streams  have  little  or  no 
flow  during  dry  periods,  but  at  times  of  high  water  they  carry  the  drain¬ 
age  of  about  63  square  miles  of  adjacent  country.  Provision  has  been 
made  for  taking  the  discharge  of  these  creeks  into  the  canal  over  the 
crests  of  long  weirs. 

Six  miles  of  double-track  and  3  miles  of  single-track  railroad  will 
have  to  be  relocated  and  constructed,  and  four  railroad  swing  bridges 
and  one  railroad  fixed  bridge  provided  for  crossing  the  waterway  and 
also  three  highway  swing  bridges  and  one  steam  ferry  for  the  accom¬ 
modation  of  highway  traffic. 

Power  for  operating  the  locks  and  lighting  the  waterway  may  be 
developed  by  taking  water  in  pipes  from  the  canal  above  Lock  No.  2 
and  carrying  it  to  a  power  house  opposite  Lock  No.  7,  from  the  wheel 
pit  of  which  the  water  can  be  wasted  through  a  tailrace  into  the  river. 

By  this  arrangement  Locks  Nos.  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  and  7  can  be  drained 
directly  into  the  river,  thus  avoiding  all  pumping  plant  for  the  main 
flight  of  locks  down  the  escarpment.  Lock  No.  8  can  be  drained 
when  necessary  into  Lock  No.  9,  but,  as  the  canal  prism  below  the  lat¬ 
ter  is  lower  than  the  river,  a  pumping  plant  will  have  to  be  provided 
for  emptying  it  for  making  repairs. 

MATERIALS  FOR  CONSTRUCTION. 

All  the  stone  necessary  for  retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  back  fill, 
and  concrete  may  be  obtained  from  the  excavation  between  Cayuga 
Island  and  the  top  of  the  escarpment,  but  sand  will  probably  have  to 
be  brought  to  the  works  from  either  Lake  Erie  or  Lake  Ontario. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


55 


The  total  length  of  the  waterway  from  the  site  of  the  proposed  regu¬ 
lating-  works  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  is  30.5  miles,  of 
which  18.9  miles  is  river  channel,  600  feet  or  more  in  width,  and  11.6 
miles  of  the. adopted  standard  canal  section. 

The  plans  for  structures  are  shown  on  plates  68  and  69-. 

Estimates  for  30-foot  channel. 

Lake  Erie  regulated: 

Excavation .  $43, 335, 142 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill . . . .  1, 640, 928 

Railroad  changes .  363, 424 

Right  of  way . .  1, 185, 050 

Bridges  and  ferries .  1, 212, 532 

Cribs  at  lock  approaches . . . .  210, 599 

Locks.. .  18,437,004 

Operating  plant . . . . .  600 , 000 

Buffalo  waterworks  tunnel . . .  30, 000 

Entrance  of  streams . . . .  20, 255 

Regulating  works .  796, 923 


66,831,857 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent 1 . . .  6, 603, 493 

Total . . . . .  73,435,350 


Standard  low  water: 

Excavation. . . .  44, 552, 322 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill . .  1, 640, 928 

Railroad  changes . 363,424 

Right  of  way . . .  1,185, 050 

Bridges  and  ferries  . .  1, 212, 532 

Cribs  at  lock  approaches . . .  210, 599 

Locks . 18,443,484 

Operating  plant . . . . . . .  600, 000 

Buffalo  waterworks  tunnel  . .  30,000 

Entrance  of  streams .  20, 255 


68, 258, 594 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent....  6,825,859 

Total .  75,084,453 

Estimates  for  21-foot  channel. 

Lake  Erie  regulated: 

Excavation . . — . .  $20,615,492 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill .  1, 281, 985 

Railroad  changes . . .  363, 424 

Right  of  way .  1, 185, 050 

Bridges  and  ferries . .  1, 129, 403 

Cribs  at  lock  approaches . . .  294, 995 

Locks . 12,294,196 

Operating  plant . . . . .  600, 000 

Entrance  of  streams . . 20,255 


1  The  estimate  for  regulating  works  already  contains  cost  of  engineering,  super¬ 
intendence,  and  contingencies. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


5b 


$30. 000 
796, 923 


38,611,723 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent L . .  3,  781, 480 


Total... . . . . .  42,393.203 


Standard  low  water: 

Excavation... . $22,079,979 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  till . . .  1, 281,  985 

Railroad  changes . . . .  .  363,424 

Right  of  way . 1,185,050 

Bridges  and  ferries . 1,129,403 

Cribs  and  lock  approaches . . . . . .  .  294,  995 

Operating  plant  . . . . . . . .  600. 000 

Lock. . . . . . — . . . .  12,300,676 

Entrance  of  streams . . 20,255 

Buffalo  waterworks  tunnel . . 30,000 


39, 285, 767 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent _  3,  928, 577 


Total . . . . . .  43,214,344 


Lake  Erie  regulated — Continued. 
Buffalo  waterworks  tunnel  . . 
Regulating  works . 


THE  TONAWANDA-OLCOTT  ROUTE. 

This  route  follows  the  same  line  as  the  Lasalle -Lewiston  route  from 
Lake  Erie  to  Tonawanda,  at  which  place  it  leaves  the  Niagara  River 
at  the  head  of  Tonawanda  Island,  with  an  elevation  of  505  feet- above 
tide  water  at  New  York  for  low  stage  of  the  river,1 2  and  continues  at 
that  level  13.2  miles  to  the  head  of  the  escarpment  west  of  Lockport, 
where  the  ridge  to  be  cut  through  has  an  elevation  of  036  feet  above 
tide  water,  or  71  feet  above  the  water  surface  in  the  canal.  From 
the  top  of  the  escarpment  the  line  descends  to  Lake  Ontario,  11.2 
miles,  with  two  single  and  three  double  locks  of  40  feet  lift  each,  one 
single  lock  with  30.5  feet  lift,  and  three  double  locks  each  with  30 
feet  lift. 

At  a  distance  about  1  mile  above  Lake  Ontario  the  line  enters  the 
gorge  of  Eigliteenmile  Creek  and  follows  it  to  the  lake. 

The  proposed  harbor  at  Olcott  consists  in  widening  Eigliteenmile 
Creek  to  the  width  of  400  feet  from  the  last  lock  of  the  canal  to  the 
lake,  and  protecting  the  entrance  by  breakwaters,  as  shown  on  figures 


1  The  estimate  for  regulating  works  already  contains  cost  of  engineering,  etc. 

2 All  elevations  for  the  survey  of  the  Niagara  ship  canal  are  referred  to  the  bench 
mark  established  b5r  the  United  States  engineers  on  the  light-house  at  Buffalo, 
of  which  the  elevation  is  given  as  589.807  feet  above  mean  tide  at  New  York. 

The  difference  in  level  of  the  United  States  bench  marks  at  Greenbush  and 
Oswego  has  been  redetermined  by  the  parties  making  the  deep-waterway  survey, 
but  as  there  is  some  doubt  as  to  the  correct  difference  of  level  between  Greenbush 
and  tide  water  and  between  the  Oswego  and  Buffalo  bench  marks,  it  has  been 
deemed  advisable  to  adopt  the  plane  of  reference  used  in  previous  reports. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


57 


7  to  12,  inclusive,  Appendix  No.  3.  The  lake  in  front  of  the  canal 
entrance  ii  shallow,  with  a  shale  rock  bottom,  which  will  have  to  be 
excavated  for  a  width  of  COO  feet  and  for  the  required  depth. 

Three  diamond-drill  holes  were  put  down  near  the  top  of  the  escarp¬ 
ment  to  determine  the  strike,  dip,  and  elevation  of  the  different 
kinds  of  rock  strata  which  would  be  cut  by  the  excavation  for  the 
waterway. 

The  strike  of  the  rock  is  approximately  parallel  to  the  top  of  the 
ridge  extending  toward  Lewiston  and  lias  a  dip  to  the  south  of  about 
5.6  feet  per  1,000  feet. 

MATERIALS  TO  BE  EXCAVATED. 

Between  Buffalo  and  the  escarpment  at  Lockport  the  rock,  where 
above  bottom  grade  of  the  waterway,  is  composed  of  either  limestone 
or  Niagara  shale,  overlaid  with  silt,  sand,  gravel,  clay,  or  hardpan. 
From  Lock  No.  2,  at  head  of  the  escarpment,  to  the  foot  of  Lock  No.  5, 
the  excavation  will  be  through  limestone,  sandstone,  and  shale,  and 
from  Lock  No.  5  to  Lake  Ontario  the  prism  of  the  canal  will  be  through 
soft  red  shale,  overlaid  with  sand,  gravel,  clay,  or  hardpan,  for  about 
one-lmlf  the  depth  of  the  cut.  (For  details  of  these  materials  see 
Appendix  No.  18.)  The  limestone  and  Niagara  shale  south  of  the 
escarpment  will  probably  cost  about  the  same  per  cubic  yard  to  exca¬ 
vate,  and,  for  similar  conditions,  the  red  shale  between  the  escarp¬ 
ment  and  Lake  Ontario  can  be  taken  out  for  about  three-quarters  of 
the  unit  price  for  excavating  the  limestone. 

STRUCTURES. 

The  locks  designed  and  estimated  are  to  lie  of  the  standard  type 
shown  on  plates  68  and  69,  and  described  in  Appendix  No.  1. 

A  plant  for  generating  power  by  electricity  or  compressed  air  for 
lighting  and  operating  the  canal  from  Lock  No.  2  to  Lake  Ontario  may 
be  installed  by  taking  water  from  the  canal  above  Lock  No.  2  and 
leading  it  through  a  tunnel  and  pipes  to  a  power  house  near  the  bot¬ 
tom  of  the  “Gulf,”  about  1,200  feet  east  of  Station  1290,  and  using  the 
“Gulf”  and  Eighteen-Mile  Creek  for  a  tail  race.  At  Lock  No.  1  and 
vicinity,  power  for  lighting  the  canal  and  operating  gates,  valves,  and 
pumps  may  be  generated  near  the  lock  site  or  obtained  by  lease  from 
the  power  companies  at  Niagara  Falls. 

All  railroad  and  highway  bridges  are  estimated  for  a  clear  opening 
of  250  feet  between  piers,  for  the  standard  types  described  elsewhere, 
and  for  the  locations  given  in  the  report  of  the  assistant  engineer  in 
charge  of  the  survey.  (Appendix  No.  10.) 

Stone  retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  concrete  may  be  obtained 
from  the  excavations,  but  sand  will  probably  have  to  be  brought  from 
either  Lake  Erie  or  Lake  Ontario. 

The  total  length  of  waterway  from  the  proposed  regulating  works  at 


58 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


the  foot  of  Lake  Erie  to  the  shore  of  Lake  Ontario  at  Olcott  is  35.9 
miles,  of  which  9.9  miles  is  improved  river  channel  and  26  miles  is 
of  standard  canal  section. 


Estimates  for  30-foot  channel. 

Lake  Erie  regulated: 

Excavation . . . . . - . .  $39, 572, 525 

Retaining  vails,  slope  walls,  and  back  fills. .  3, 917,  583 

Embankment. . - . . .  94, 853 

Railroad  changes . . . - . • . .  199,  640 

Diversion  of  streams. . . . . .  68, 943 

Rightofway..  . 2,254,835 

Bridges  and  ferries  . . . . . . .  2, 072, 190 

By-passes.. . . . . . . . . .  39,585 

Locks  . .  . . . . .  17,553,779 

Cribs  at  lock  approaches .  . . . . .  888, 932 

Operating  plant  . . . . - .  700,  000 

Olcott  Harbor . . . . .  584, 705 

Regulating  works . 796,923 

Buffalo  waterworks  tunnel. . . j .  30.  000 


68, 747, 493 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent1 . .  6,  797,  757 


Total . . . . . .  75,572,250 


Standard  low  water: 

Excavation.  . . . . .  41,789,705 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill . .  3, 917,  583 

Embankment . . . .  94, 853 

Railroad  changes. .  . .  199,640 

Diversion  of  streams . . . . . . . .  68,943 

Right  of  way . . . .  ....  . .  2,254,835 

Bridges  and  ferries . . . .  2, 072, 190 

By-passes . 39,585 

Locks . . . . . . . . . .  17,560,259 

Cribs  at  lock  approaches . . . . . . .  888,  932 

Lock  operating  plant . .  700,  000 

Olcott  Harbor . _ . . . .  584,  705 

Buffalo  waterworks  tunnel.. . . .  30,  000 


70, 201, 230 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent....  7,020, 123 


Total . . . . .  77,221,353 

Estimates  for  21-foot  channel. 

Lake  Erie  regulated: 

Excavation . . . . .  $22,213,215 

Retaining  walls,  slope,  and  back  fill . . . .  3. 126, 243 

Embankment  .  . . . . . .  85,  635 

Railroad  changes .  . . . . . .  199,  640 

Diversion  of  streams . . . . . . . .  68, 943 

Right  of  way.  . .  ... . .  .  . .  2, 254,  835 


1  Estimate  for  regulating  works  already  contains  cost  of  engineering,  superin¬ 
tendence,  and  contingencies. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


59 


Lake  Erie  regulated — Continued. 

Bridges  and  ferries . 

By-passes  . . . 

Locks . . _ . 

Cribs  at  lock  approaches  . . 
Lock-operating  machinery . . . 

Olcott  Harbor . . . 

Buffalo  regulating  works.  _ . 
Buffalo  waterworks  tunnel.. 


§1.919,240 
39, 585 
11,600.601 
790, 120 
700, 000 
296, 334 
796, 923 
30, 000 


Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent1 ... 

Total . . . . 

Standard  low  water: 

Excavation .  . .  . . . . . 

Retaining  walls,  slope,  and  back  fill . . 

Embankment  ..  . . . 

Railroad  changes . . . . . . . . 

Diversion  of  streams . . .  ...  . . . . 

Right  of  way.  .  . . .  . . . 

Bridges  and  ferries . . . . . 

By-passes . . . . . . . . 

Locks . . . . .  . . 

Cribs  at  lock  approaches. . . . . 

Lock-operating  plant  . . . . . 

Olcott  Harbor . . . . . . 

Buffalo  waterworks  tunnel _ _ _ _ _ _ 


Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent _ 

Total . . .  . .  . . 


44, 

121.314 

4, 

332, 439 

48, 

453. 753 

23, 

67 i , 702 

3, 

126, 243 

85, 635 

199. 640 

68. 943 

9 

254. 835 

1. 

919,240 

39, 585 

11, 

607.081 

790. 120 

700, 000 

296, 334 

30, 000 

44, 

795, 358 

4, 

479, 536 

49, 

274, 894 

RELATIVE  VALUE  OF  ROUTES. 

Referring  to  the  above  estimates  for  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  route 
it  will  be  noted  that  it  exceeds  the  estimated  cost  of  the  Lasalle- 
Lewiston  route  by  $6,060,550  for  a  21-foot  channel  and  $2,136,900  for 
a  30-foot  channel. 

Following  the  method  developed  in  Appendix  No.  4,  on  speed  of  ships 
in  the  proposed  deep  waterway,  it  is  found  that  a  steamship  of  19 
feet  draft  in  the  21-foot  channel  would  consume  one  hour  and  nine 
minutes  more  time  between  Buffalo  and  a  point  common  to  the  two 
routes  in  Lake  Ontario  in  traversing  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  waterway 
than  by  the  Lasalle-Lewiston  route,  and  that  in  a  30-foot  channel  a 
steamship  of  27-feet  draft  would  be  one  hour  and  forty-three  minutes 
longer  by  the  Tonawanda  route. 

Since  the  cost  of  maintenance  of  the  Lewiston  waterway  would  be 
less  than  for  the  route  from  Tonawanda  to  Olcott,  the  interest  and 

'Estimate  for  regulating  works  already  contains  cost  of  engineering,  superin¬ 
tendence,  and  contingencies. 


60 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


expense  account  will  be  much  less  for  the  former,  and  as  the  actual 
time  saved  by  a  steamship  on  the  Lewiston  route  would  be  from  11  to 
16  per  cent  of  the  time  of  passage,  it  is  evident  that  both  economy 
in  construction  and  cost  of  transportation  definitely  determine  the 
Lewiston  waterway  as  the  preferable  route. 

In  the  discussion  of  deep-waterway  routes  to  the  sea  in  this  report, 
whatever  route  out  of  Lake  Ontario  may  be  considered,  all  estimates 
of  cost  of  construction,  transportation,  and  times  of  passage  for  ships 
of  different  speeds  and  dimensions  will  be  based  on  the  use  of  the 
Lasalle-Lewiston  route. 

OSWEGO-MOHAWK  ROUTE. 

The  development  of  a  project  for  a  deep  waterway  from  Lake  Onta¬ 
rio  to  the  Hudson  via  the  Oswego  and  Mohawk  rivers  is  complicated 
with  more  difficult  conditions  than  any  other  part  of  the  proposed 
route  from  the  lakes  to  the  sea.  Not  only  must  a  channel  be  located 
which  may  be  easily  and  safely  navigated,  but  water  must  be  fur¬ 
nished  during  dry  periods  with  which  to  float  and  lock  ships  through 
the  waterway,  the  river  channels  must  be  canalized  and  rectified  so 
as  to  carry  the  flood  waters  at  times  of  high  stages  without  injury  to 
the  banks  or  delay  to  navigation,  and  the  manufacturing  enterprises 
depending  upon  the  water  power  at  the  various  dam  sites  must  have 
their  water  privileges  interfered  with  the  least  possible. 

PHYSICAL  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  ROUTE. 

The  Oswego  River  from  Lake  Ontario  to  Fulton,  where  the  line 
leaves  the  river,  is  a  series  of  rapids  over  sandstone  reefs,  and  has  an 
average  fall  of  over  8  feet  per  mile.  The  divide  between  the  Oswego 
River  at'  Fulton  and  Oneida  Lake  consists  of  extensive  swamps 
between  sand  ridges  rising  20  feet  to  50  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
lake. 

East  of  Oneida  Lake  the  land  gradually  rises  to  the  vicinity  of 
Rome,  where  it  has  an  elevation  of  about  430  feet  above  tide  water, 
and  64  feet  above  the  level  proposed  for  this  improved  low- water 
stage  of  Oneida  Lake. 

From  Rome  to  Frankfort  the  profile  of  the  Mohawk  Valley  has  a 
very  even  slope  to  the  east,  and  at  the  latter  place  lias  about  the  same 
elevation  as  the  low-water  surface  of  Oneida  Lake.  Between  Frank¬ 
fort  and  Schenectady  the  numerous  streams  tributary  to  the  river 
increase  the  flood  discharge  to  such  an  extent  that  any  waterway 
designed  for  safe  navigation  and  to  carry  the  river  discharge  without 
erosion  of  the  banks  must  have  a  gradually  increasing  cross  section 
downstream. 

Below  the  bend  of  the  river  known  as  “Little  Nose,”  about  6 
miles  above  Fultonville,  the  volume  of  flow  at  times  of  high  water  is 
such  that  an  economical  cross  section  for  carrying  the  discharge  at  a 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


61 


velocity  of  less  than  1  feet  per  second  becomes  practically  the  same 
for  21-foot  and  30-foot  waterways. 

From  Schenectady  to  the  Hudson  the  line  crosses  the  divide  between 
the  rivers  at  South  Schenectady  and  then  locks  down  the  valley  of 
Normans  Kill. 

The  surveys  and  investigations  were  made  by  three  different  field 
parties,  viz:  One  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  A.  J.  Himes,  assistant 
engineer,  on  the  work  of  the  western  division  between  Oswego  and 
Herkimer;  another,  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  D.  .T.  Howell,  assistant 
engineer,  on  the  survey  of  the  eastern  division  between  Herkimer  and 
the  Hudson,  and  a  party  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  George  A".  Rafter, 
C.  E.,  organized  to  investigate  and  report  on  the  sources  and  quantity 
of  available  water  supply  for  the  waterway. 

The  results  of  the  investigations  of  these  different  parties,  while 
complete  in  themselves,  must  be  regarded  as  constituting  a  single 
project. 

The  investigations  at  the  start  contemplated  the  improvement  of 
the  Oswego  River  by  locks  and  dams  from  Oswego  to  Phoenix,  and  a 
similar  improvement  of  the  Mohawk  River  from  Utica  to  the  Hudson, 
with  a  ship  canal  connecting  the  upper  terminals  of  these  canalized 
streams.  During  the  progress  of  the  work,  however,  it  became 
apparent  that  deviations  could  be  made  near  Oswego,  Fulton,  and 
Schenectady  whereby  about  $25,000,000  could  be  saved  in  the  cost  of 
construction  and  the  waterway  shortened  several  miles,  leaving  the 
principal  water-power  privileges  undisturbed. 

Two  different  projects  for  the  connecting  waterway  from  the  Oswego 
to  the  Mohawk  have  been  examined — one  for  a  summit  level  at  an 
elevation  of  416  feet  above  tide  water,  with  a  water  supply  to  be  car¬ 
ried  through  a  feeder  from  reservoirs  on  the  Black  and  Salmon  rivers, 
and  the  other  with  a  summit  level  the  same  as  that  of  Oneida  Lake — 
379  feet  above  tide  water  at  New  York. 

In  the  latter  case,  Oneida  Lake  is  to  be  used  fora  storage  reservoir, 
but  during  excessive  dry  seasons  an  additional  supply  will  probably 
be  needed,  for  which  provision  has  been  made  by  locating  a  reservoir 
in  the  Salmon  River  Valley  with  a  connecting  feeder  from  the  reser¬ 
voir  to  the  waterway,  as  shown  on  plate  93. 

WESTERN  DIVISION. 

The  line  leaves  Lake  Ontario  from  an  artificial  harbor  formed  by 
two  breakwaters  to  be  constructed  about  1  mile  west  of  the  mouth 
of  the  Oswego  River,  and  passes  through  the  westerly  limits  of  the 
city  along  a  narrow  valley,  rising  85.6  feet  in  a  distance  of  5.7  miles, 
to  a  dam  above  the  town  of  Minetto,  where  the  waterway  joins  the 
river,  which  difference  in  level  it  is  proposed  to  overcome  with  four 
locks  of  21.4  feet  lift  each. 

These  locks  are  to  consist  of  one  single  lock  at  the  harbor  terminal 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


62 

of  the  canal,  two  double  locks  in  flight,  about  4,000  feet  from  the  lake, 
and  a  single  lock  in  the  head  of  the  canal  where  it  leaves  the  Oswego 
River  near  Minetto. 

From  Minetto  the  line  follows  the  river  4.9  miles  to  the  northern 
side  of  the  village  of  Fulton,  where  it  enters  the  valley  of  a  small  creek 
and  continues  across  the  swamp  and  sand  ridges  between  the  river  and 
Oneida  Lake.  At  the  point  of  deepest  cutting  through  the  sand  ridge 
the  banks  will  be  54  feet  above  water  surface  at  low  stage. 

For  a  waterway  having  a  high  summit  level  across  the  divide 
between  the  lake  and  the  Mohawk  River  it  is  proposed  to  establish 
the  low  water  of  the  lake  at  an  elevation  of  376  feet,  and  for  the 
project  having  the  lake  for  summit  level  at  an  elevation  of  379  feet. 

In  the  first  of  these  projects  it  is  proposed  to  overcome  the  45-foot 
rise  from  the  Oswego  River  at  Fulton  to  Oneida  Lake  with  two  locks  of 
22.5  feet  lift  each,  and  in  the  latter  to  have  two  locks  of  18  feet  lift 
each,  and  one  with  lift  varying  from  12  to  19  feet,  according  to  the 
stage  of  water  in  Oneida  Lake. 

Oneida  Lake  is  21  miles  long,  14  miles  of  which  is  over  30  feet  deep, 
and  has  an  area  of  77  square  miles  at  the  natural  low-water  stage  of 
371  feet,  which  will  be  increased  to  149  square  miles,  with  the  reservoir 
full  at  an  elevation  of  386  feet. 

High-level  project. — The  summit  of  the  divide  near  Rome  is  about 
430  feet  above  mean  tide  at  New  York,  which  for  the  high-level  project 
is  crossed  with  a  water-surface  elevation  of  416  feet.  The  summit 
level  will  be  13.6  miles  long  and  will  receive  water  supply  from  the 
Black  River  feeder  near  its  western  end,  3  miles  west  of  Rome. 

West  of  Rome  the  line  from  Oneida  Lake  follows  the  line  of  great¬ 
est  depression  of  underlying  rock,  and,  after  crossing  the  divide,  inter¬ 
sects  the  present  channel  of  the  Mohawk  River  several  times,  but  as 
the  stream  is  small  compared  with  the  proposed  section  of  the  water¬ 
way,  the  entire  drainage  would  be  diverted  into  the  new  channel. 
The  eastern  end  of  the  summit  level  for  the  high-level  project  is  about 
a  mile  below  the  mouth  of  the  Oriskany  Creek,  and  at  times  of  floods 
in  the  Mohawk  Valley  10,000  cubic  feet  per  second  of  the  Mohawk 
discharge  may  be  turned  westward  through  the  canal  to  Oneida  Lake 
and  used  for  storage  or  wasted  down  the  Oneida  and  Oswego  rivers 
to  Lake  Ontario. 

Investigation  of  floods  in  the  Mohawk  Valley  indicates  that  in 
extreme  cases  the  discharge  at  Little  Falls  may  reach  about  45,000 
cubic  feet  per  second,  and  by  diverting  a  portion  of  the  flood  volume 
westward  a  much  safer  and  less  expensive  channel  may  be  constructed 
between  Utica  and  Albany.  By-passes  and  regulating  sluices  are 
provided  for  at  each  end  of  the  summit  level  for  controlling  the  vol¬ 
ume  of  flow  in  each  direction  at  times  of  floods  and  to  furnish  a  low- 
water  flow  in  the  Mohawk  equal  to  that  under  natural  conditions. 

The  summit  level  will  vary  in  elevation  from  376  feet  to  378  feet 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


63 


above  mean  tide  at  New  York,  depending  on  the  depth  of  storage  in 
Oneida  Lake. 

It  is  proposed  to  control  the  stage  of  Oneida  Lake  by  means  of  a 
movable  dam  300  feet  long  in  connection  with  regulating  sluice  gates 
capable  of  passing  10,000  cubic  feet  of  water  per  second  when  fully 
open. 

Low-level  project. — By  converting  Oneida  Lake  into  a  storage  reser¬ 
voir  and  cutting  a  channel  through  the  Rome  divide,  navigation  at 
lake  level  may  be  extended  to  the  Mohawk  at  Frankfort,  a  distance 
of  72.1  miles  from  the  lock  at  western  end  of  the  level  2.5  miles  east  of 
Fulton. 

The  general  alignment  of  the  waterway  for  the  high  and  low  level 
projects  is  practically  the  same  except  in  Wood  Creek  and  across  the 
Peter  Scott  Swamp,  where  slight  changes  have  been  made  to  facilitate 
better  methods  of  construction  under  the  different  conditions  which 
will  exist  under  the  two  plans. 

In  the  low-level  project  the  streams  tributary  to  the  Mohawk  along 
the  proposed  route  may  be  received  into  the  prism  of  the  waterway, 
the  same  as  in  the  high-level  project,  but  on  account  of  the  greater 
depth  of  the  channel  more  expensive  intake  works  must  be  provided. 

In  establishing  the  elevation  of  the  summit  level  for  this  project  it 
has  been  deemed  expedient  to  make  it  as  high  as  the  general  level  of 
the  adjacent  country  will  permit  on  account  of  the  nature  of  the  soils 
through  which  a  portion  of  the  deep  cut  will  have  to  be  excavated. 

The  banks  of  the  channel  will  be  from  20  feet  to  50  feet  above  the 
low-water  level  of  the  waterway  for  over  30  miles  through  the  divide, 
and  at  places  the  clay  strata  are  of  a  nature  which  requires  back 
drainage  to  prevent  landslides  into  the  canal  prism. 

The  land  immediately  surrounding  the  lake  is  largely  low  and 
swampy  and  will  be  submerged  for  an  extent  of  70  square  miles  with 
the  lake  raised  to  an  elevation  of  386  feet,  but  the  saving  in  cost  of 
excavation  will  be  so  much  in  excess  of  the  value  of  the  land  that  it 
will  be  economical  and  desirable  to  establish  such  maximum  stage. 

EASTERN  DIVISION. 

The  route  from  Herkimer  to  the  Hudson  is  practically  a  rectification 
of  the  Mohawk  River  to  Rotterdam  Junction,  then  by  a  waterway  of 
standard  cross  section  for  3  miles  along  the  south  side  of  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  and  thence  across  the  divide  through  South  Schenectady  to  the 
head  of  Normans  Kill,  which  stream  the  line  follows  to  the  Hudson  a 
short  distance  below  the  city  limits  of  Albany. 

The  flood  discharge  of  the  river  is  approximately  45,000  cubic  feet 
per  second  at  Little  Falls,  50,000  cubic  feet  at  the  mouth  of  West 
Canada  Creek,  56,000  cubic  feet  at  the  mouth  of  Garoga  Creek,  and 
80,000  cubic  feet  at  the  mouth  of  Schoharie  Creek.  With  10,000  cubic 
feet  per  second  of  this  flow  retained  in  the  Oneida  Lake  Reservoir 


64 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


during  the  extreme  height  of  the  freshet — generally  not  more  than  one 
day — the  cross  section  of  the  channel  necessary  to  carry  the  discharge 
with  a  current  of  less  than  4  feet  per  second  will  vary  from  the  stand¬ 
ard  section  at  Herkimer  to  one  with  a  bottom  width  of  460  feet  at 
Rotterdam  for  30  feet  depth  at  low  stage. 

For  the  21-foot  channel  the  cross  section  is  standard  width  at  Herki¬ 
mer  and  gradually  increases  to  329  feet  bottom  width  at  Little  Nose, 
from  which  point  to  Rotterdam  it  will  cost  less  for  a  channel  30  feet 
deep  of  dimensions  to  carry  the  discharge  than  for  a  wider  waterway 
21  feet  deep,  and  therefore  for  this  reach  the  cross  sections  and  esti¬ 
mates  for  the  two  waterways  are  identical. 

Approximate  comparative  estimates  have  been  made  for  21  and  30 
feet  depth  of  waterways  of  standard  cross  section,  separate  from  the 
river  channel  except  at  crossings,  from  which  it  appears  that  such 
construction  would  be  more  expensive  than  to  rectify  and  deepen  the 
river  and  besides  would  render  navigation  unsafe  at  times  of  high 
water  at  points  where  the  channels  would  cross  each  other.  At  the 
commencement  of  the  surveys  it  was  expected  that  the  route  would 
follow  the  river  to  its  junction  with  the  Hudson  at  Troy,  but  from 
later  investigations  it  was  found  that  a  waterway  of  large  dimensions 
so  located  would  necessarily  have  curves  too  sharp  for  safe  naviga¬ 
tion,  would  involve  dangerous  river  crossings,  and  would  be  very 
expensive  to  construct.  Preliminary  surveys  were  made  of  routes 
from  Niskayuna  to  Albany,  Schenectady  to  the  Hudson  via  Cedar 
Hill  and  via  Normans  Kill,  but  rock  at  suitable  elevation  for  the  foun¬ 
dation  of  structures  was  found  only  on  the  latter,  and  the  other  routes 
were  therefore  abandoned. 

Materials  to  be  excavated . — Seven  diamond-drill  holes  were  put  down 
on  the  western  division  of  the  route  to  determine  the  nature  of  the 
rock  to  be  excavated  and  the  character  of  foundations  on  which  struc¬ 
tures  will  have  to  be  built.  On  the  eastern  division  no  diamond-drill 
holes  were  bored,  for  the  reason  that  where  rock  was  found  above  bot¬ 
tom  grade  of  proposed  waterway  its  character  was  pretty  well  deter¬ 
mined  by  the  outcrop  and  from  the  ordinary  borings. 

The  bed  of  the  river  at  Oswego  is  argillaceous  sandstone,  and 
between  Oswego  and  Fulton  is  mostly  a  mottled  Medina  sandstone. 
Between  Fulton  and  Oneida  Lake  the  rock,  where  above  grade,  is 
Clinton  shale,  overlaid  with  sand  and  gravel. 

Through  Oneida  Lake  the  excavation  will  be  mostly  soft  mud,  except 
near  Brewerton,  where  a  small  amount  of  rock  was  found. 

East  of  Oneida  Lake  the  rock  where  above  grade  is  Utica  shale,  and 
at  the  divide  which  separates  the  Wood  Creek  and  Mohawk  valleys, 
west  of  Rome,  there  is  a  deposit  of  rock  and  hardpan. 

East  of  Rome  and  along  the  Mohawk  Valley  to  Herkimer  there  is  a 
deep  channel  between  the  hills,  filled  in  with  sand,  soft  clay,  and  beds 
of  gravel,  with  occasional  spurs  of  rock  projecting  from  adjacent  hills. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


65 

At  places  the  channel  banks  will  require  a  low  slope  and  thorough  back 
drainage  to  render  them  secure  from  landslides  during  construction. 

From  about  a  mile  below  Herkimer  to  Little  Falls  quartzite  rock  is 
found  from  15  feet  to  35  feet  below  the  surface,  overlaid  with  sand 
and  a  small  amount  of  clay,  and  at  and  below  Little  Falls  the  river 
flows  through  a  solid  bed  of  quartzite  for  a  distance  of  2  miles  with  a 
fall  of  about  45  feet. 

Below  the  outcrop  in  the  vicinity  of  Little  Falls  to  Canajoharie  the 
borings  show  the  rock  surface  to  be  from  15  to  20  feet  below  the  pres¬ 
ent  level  of  bottom  lands.  The  rock  on  this  section  above  St.  Johns- 
ville  is  shale,  and  thence  east  is  a  hard  limestone  well  adapted  for  use 
in  structures. 

From  Canajoharie  to  Rotterdam  but  little  rock  is  found  above  grade 
of  proposed  waterway,  and  excavation  will  be  mostly  through  sand, 
with  occasional  pockets  of  clay  and  gravel. 

The  elevation  of  the  water  surface  in  the  canal  between  Rotterdam 
and  French  Mills  has  been  fixed  at  240  feet  above  mean  tide  at  New 
York,  and  the  elevation  of  the  divide  between  the  Mohawk  and  Nor¬ 
mans  Kill  at  South  Schenectady  is  350  feet,  through  which  the  exca¬ 
vation  will  be  mostly  in  shale  rock. 

Rock  drops  below  grade  about  1  mile  south  of  the  divide,  leaving 
the  cutting  in  a  mixture  of  bine  clay  and  gravel,  with  sand  near  the 
surface. 

Above  French  Mills  slate  rock  is  found  at  or  above  bottom  grade 
of  the  canal  for  about  2.5  miles.  Shale  rock  is  found  above  grade  for 
a  distance  of  about  2  miles  near  the  mouth  of  the  Normans  Kill,  and 
the  excavation  for  the  remainder  of  the  section  will  be  through  blue 
clay. 

Materials  for  construction  will  have  to  be  brought  in  on  the  east¬ 
ern  end  of  the  division,  as  none  of  the  rock  to  be  excavated  is  suitable 
for  use  in  structures,  but  from  Canajoharie  westward  to  <  )swego,  good 
building  material  can  be  obtained  within  reasonable  hauling  distance 
of  where  needed. 

Railroad  changes. — At  Oswego,  where  the  waterway  would  cross 
the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  and  the  Rome, 
Watertown  and  Ogdensburg  Railway,  a  slight  change  of  alignment 
will  permit  both  roads  to  use  the  same  bridge.  At  Sylvan  Beach, 
near  the  eastern  end  of  Oneida  Lake,  the  Lehigh  Valley  and  the  New 
York,  Ontario  and  Western  Railroad  tracks  will  have  to  be  raised  and 
embankments  protected  with  riprap,  or  else  rebuilt  on  higher  ground, 
all  of  which  has  been  provided  for  in  the  estimates. 

The  immense  traffic  over  the  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River 
Railroad  makes  it  very  desirable  to  avoid  crossing  that  railroad  wher¬ 
ever  possible,  and  for  this  reason  the  estimates  provide  for  a  new 
location  of  that  road  at  Rome,  thereby  keeping  the  railroad  south  of 
the  canal  location.  At  the  crossing  of  the  New  York  Central  Rail- 
11.  Doc.  149 - 5 


66 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


road  below  Utica  it  is  proposed  to  raise  the  grade  of  the  railroad  suffi¬ 
ciently  to  carry  it  over  the  waterway  on  a  viaduct. 

In  the  Mohawk  Valley  there  are  several  localities  where  the  grades 
of  the  railroads  will  need  to  be  raised  in  order  to  maintain  the  tracks 
well  above  the  flood  stages  where  the  river  is  improved,  and  at  the 
mouth  of  Normans  Kill  the  canal  as  located  will  involve  a  change  in 
the  location  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Railroad  for  about  1  mile. 

BRIDGES  AND  FERRIES. 

The  reports  of  the  assistant  engineers  who  had  charge  of  surveys 
give  full  descriptions  of  localities  where  railroad  bridges,  highway 
bridges,  and  ferries  will  be  needed,  the  details  and  estimates  for  which 
will  be  found  in  Appendixes  13  and  14. 

EXISTING  CANALS. 

The  Erie  and  Oswego  canals  parallel  the  route  for  a  considerable 
part  of  the  proposed  waterway,  but  with  a  proper  arrangement  of  plans 
and  methods  of  construction,  the  traffic  on  these  canals  need  not  be 
disturbed  until  the  ship  canal  is  practically  completed.  These  canals 
will  be  of  great  use  to  the  enterprise  during  the  progress  of  construc¬ 
tion  in  facilitating  the  handling  of  material,  but  before  a  deep  water¬ 
way  can  be  opened  for  transacting  business  the  old  canals  will  neces¬ 
sarily  have  to  be  abandoned. 

The  project,  therefore,  can  never  be  undertaken  by  the  General 
Government  except  with  an  understanding  with  the  State  of  New  York 
that  the  existing  canals  shall  be  abandoned  when  the  work  of  con¬ 
structing  the  ship  canal  shall  have  reached  a  stage  requiring  the 
destruction  of  portions  of  the  old  canal  prism  and  structures. 

LOCKS  AND  DAMS. 

The  estimates  for  all  structures  are  based  on  the  standard  designs 
adopted  by  the  Board,  the  details  of  which  are  shown  on  plates  68  and 
69.  The  locations  and  descriptions  are  given  in  Appendixes  Nos.  13 
and  14,  and  the  locations  are  shown  on  plates  18  to  31,  inclusive. 

All  the  locks  on  the  route  except  two  can  be  built  on  rock  founda¬ 
tions.  The  locks  and  dams  at  Amsterdam  and  Cranesville  and  the 
dam  at  Rotterdam  will  require  artificial  foundations  on  which  to  estab¬ 
lish  lock  and  dam  structures,  and  as  the  underlying  strata  are  mostly 
sand  and  gravel  for  considerable  depths,  the  substructure  work  will 
be  expensive. 

WATER  SUPPLY. 

An  adequate  supply  for  a  ship  canal  of  large  capacity  can  only  be 
obtained  by  constructing  a  down-grade  feeder  from  Lake  Erie  to  the 
summit  level  or  by  impounding  the  surplus  water  of  the  streams  of 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


67 

the  central  part  of  the  State  of  New  York  in  reservoirs  and  delivering 
it  as  needed  through  a  feeder  connecting  the  reservoirs  with  the  sum¬ 
mit  level  of  the  canal. 

A  preliminary  examination  of  the  difficulties  to  he  overcome  indi¬ 
cates  that  the  former  of  these  methods  would  be  so  expensive  as  to  be 
practically  prohibitive,  and  investigations  were  directed  toward  deter¬ 
mining  whether  an  available  supply  could  be  obtained  from  the  water¬ 
sheds  of  the  Black  and  Salmon  rivers. 

Mr.  George  W.  Rafter,  C.  E.,  who  from  large  experience  with  pre¬ 
vious  surveys  through  New  York  State  was  thoroughly  familiar  with 
the  natural  conditions,  was  engaged  to  make  a  special  examination  of 
the  amount  of  water  available  and  to  submit  an  estimate  of  the  cost 
of  the  necessary  reservoirs  and  feeders,  the  results  of  which  are  fully 
discussed  in  his  report,  Appendix  No.  16. 

For  the  high  summit  level  project  the  supply  necessary,  including 
evaporation,  leakage,  water  power,  and  waste,  for  both  feeder  and 
waterway  will  be  about  1,600  cubic  feet  per  second  fora  30-foot  water¬ 
way  and  1,400  cubic  feet  per  second  for  a  21 -foot  waterway. 

To  provide  for  this  amount  of  supply,  a  reservoir  has  been  located 
in  the  valley  of  the  Black  River  having  an  area,  when  full,  of  77.9 
square  miles,  with  an  impounding  capacity  of  70,000,000,000  cubic 
feet,  and  one  in  the  Salmon  River  Valley  of  8.5  square  miles  area  and 
storage  capacity  of  7,000,000,000  cubic  feet. 

It  is  expected  that  the  volume  of  storage  which  can  be  secured  in 
the  Black  River  Valley  will  be  sufficient  to  maintain  an  ample  supply 
for  the  waterway  except  in  long  periods  with  small  amount  of  pre¬ 
cipitation,  when  an  additional  supply  may  be  needed  from  the  Salmon 
River  Reservoir.  The  Black  River  storage  provides  also  for  main¬ 
taining  the  present  low-water  discharge  for  power  purposes  in  the 
Black  River  below  the  reservoir. 

A  great  objection  to  the  project  is  the  length  of  feeder  line  required 
and  the  serious  delays  to  navigation  which  would  result  in  case  of 
stoppage  of  supply  from  breaks  in  the  feeder  or  other  causes.  The 
Salmon  River  Reservoir,  the  feeder  from  which  is  not  liable  to  acci¬ 
dents,  is  therefore  regarded  as  essential  to  insure  a  safe  and  contin¬ 
uous  supply  at  all  times. 

The  feeder  from  the  north  end  of  the  reservoir  at  Carthage  to  the 
junction  with  the  waterway  west  of  Rome  is  94.4  miles  long,  nearly 
one-half  of  which  is  the  natural  bed  of  streams  and  ponds. 

A  study  has  been  made  of  an  alternate  tunnel  project  as  a  substi¬ 
tute  for  the  feeder  line,  which  seems  to  have  sufficient  merit  to  war¬ 
rant  further  investigation  as  to  feasibility  if  the  proposition  to  build 
a  ship  canal  via  the  Mohawk  route  should  be  favorably  considered. 

This  tunnel  would  leave  the  south  end  of  the  Black  River  reservoir 
at  Lyons  Falls  and  open  into  the  Upper  Mohawk  at  the  village  of  North 
Western,  a  distance  of  20.5  miles  from  the  reservoir,  and  thence  dis- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


08 

charge  through  the  channel  of  the  Mohawk  into  the  waterway  near 
Home. 

The  costs  of  the  two  systems,  as  estimated,  are  approximately  the 
same,  and,  unless  investigations  by  means  of  diamond-drill  borings 
should  develop  insuperable  difficulties,  the  tunnel  line  will  be  the 
preferable  plan,  as  the  amount  of  waste  and  cost  of  maintenance 
would  be  much  less  than  for  the  open  feeder,  and  the  danger  of  acci¬ 
dents  would  be  inappreciable. 

For  the  low-level  plan,  with  Oneida  Lake  for  a  reservoir  on  the 
summit  level,  ranging  from  379  to  386  feet  above  mean  tide,  the  stor¬ 
age  capacity  would  be  about  25,000,000,000  cubic  feet,  a  surplus  of 
nearly  3,000,000,000  above  the  amount  which  would  probably  be 
needed  in  average  years  of  precipitation  and  evaporation  on  the 
watershed.  To  provide  against  any  deficiency  arising  from  a  series 
of  years  of  small  precipitation,  the  Salmon  River  reservoir  has  been 
included  in  the  low-level  project,  so  that  the  deficiency  during  dry 
years  may  be  easily  supplied,  and,  if  it  is  deemed  advisable,  the  range 
of  stage  of  the  summit  level  may  be  decreased. 

The  volume  of  water  which  may  at  times  be  needed  from  the  Salmon 
River  reservoir  is  such  that  it  may  be  brought  down  the  channel  of 
Fish  Creek  without  any  considerable  improvement.  The  flood  dis¬ 
charge  of  the  creek  is  at  times  over  4,000  cubic  feet  per  second,  while 
the  amount  which  will  be  required  to  pass  through  it  from  Salmon 
River  will  not  exceed  350  feet  per  second. 


Estimate,  for  .io-foot  channel. 

High-level  project: 

Excavation  . . _ _ _  _ _ _  880, 049, 352 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill.  _ _ ... _ _  11,057,  538 

Entrance  of  streams ..  . _ _  _ _  _ _  44.116 

Right  of  way  ... _ . . _ _ _ _ _  8,776,027 

Embankment  . .... _ _ _  _ _ _  436,855 

Bridges  and  ferries.  . .  . .  . . .  4,672,194 

Railway  and  h  ghway  changes  . . . .  1,082,523 

Cribs  at  lock  entrances _  .  _ _ _ _ ...  _ . .  6.278,431 

Locks  ... _ _ _ _ .  . . . . . .  39, 958, 498 

Operating  plant . . . . . . .  .  . .  2, 800. 000 

Dams _ _ _ _ _  ...  .  . . .  .  3,637,115 

Water  supply  .. .  .  . . .  . . . . . .  .  18,080,752 

Breakwater  at  Oswego .  .  .  .  _ _ _ _ _ _  1,190,317 


178,063,714 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent  17,806,371 


Total _ _  _ _ _  195,870,085 


Low-level  project: 

Excavation  _  _ _ _ _  .  .  .  . .  . .  $98, 378, 038 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill  _  _  _  _  13.927.042 

Entrance  of  streams  . . . . . . . . . .  44, 116 

Right  of  way  ...  .  . . . .  .  11,284,392 

Embankment.  . . . . . . .  . . . .  157,015 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


f)9 


Estimates  for  30-foot  channel — Continued. 

Low-level  project — Continued. 

Bridges  and  ferries  _  ......  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  $4.  734, 574 

Railway  and  highway  changes . . .  1.198, 630 

Dams . .  . . . . .  .  ...  3.122,610 

Cribs  at  lock  entrances  . . .  ......  .  .  5,438,677 

Locks  .  ..  . . . . . . . . .  37,614,895 

Operating  plant  . . .  2, 600, 000 

W ater  supply  . . . . . . . . .  2, 062, 295 

Breakwater  at  Oswego . . .  .  .  1,190,317 


181, 750,  601 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  percent  18. 175,060 


Total . . . .  199,925,661 

Estimate  for  2  1-foot  channel. 

High-level  project: 

Excavation. .  .  .  .  . . . . . . . $58,587,936 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill ...  _ _ _  7, 335,  266 

Entrance  of  streams .  . . - . j. _  44, 116 

Right  of  way .  .  . .  .  8, 785, 027 

Embankment _  . .  . . . . .  434,854 

Bridges  and  ferries  ...  . . .  4.191,365 

Railway  and  highway  changes . . .  1, 082, 523 

Dams  . . . . . . . . . .  3,637,111 

Cribs  at  lock  entrances . . . . . .  6.  228, 103 

Locks.... _ .  . . . . . .  25,493,352 

Operating  plant . . . . . .  . .  2,800.000 

Water  supply . . . .  18, 080, 752 

Breakwater  at  Oswego . .  . . . .  721, 380 


137,422,785 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent . . .  13, 742, 279 


Total . . . . .  151,165,064 


Low-level  project: 

Excavation  ..  . .  _.  _ _ _ $74,530,722 

Reta  ning  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill . . . . . .  9, 540, 963 

Entrance  of  streams  _ _ _ _ _  _ _  .  41,116 

Right  of  way _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _  11,293,392 

Embankment  _  .  _ _ _  _ _ ...  155,014 

Bridges  and  ferries _  .  . . . . . .  4.262,607 

Railway  and  highway  changes . . . , .  1, 196,  630 

Dams . . . . . . . . . .  . . .  3,122,610 

Cribs  at  lock  entrances . . . .  . . .  5, 334, 394 

Locks.... . .  .  24,034,221 

Operating  plant . . . . . .  ... _  2,600,000 

W ater  supply _ _  _ _ _ _ _  2. 062, 295 

Breakwater  at  Oswego  .  .  . . . . .  721, 380 


138, 948.  344 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent  13,894,834 


Total . .  . . . . .  152,843,178 


70 


BEEF  WATERWAYS. 


ST.  LAWRENCE-CHAMPLAIN  ROUTE. 

This  route  extends  from  the  foot  of  Lake  Ontario  to  the  lower  end 
of  the  Oswego-Mohawk  route  at  the  mouth  of  the  Normans  Kill, 
below  Albany,  a  distance  of  264  miles,  and  was  investigated  in  three 
divisions:  First,  St.  Lawrence  division,  from  the  foot  of  Lake  Ontario 
to  the  lower  end  of  Lake  St.  Francis,  on  the  St.  Lawrence  River;  sec¬ 
ond,  the  northern  division  of  the  Champlain  route,  consisting  of  a 
canal  from  Lake  St.  Francis  to  Lake  Champlain,  and,  third,  the  Hud¬ 
son  River  division,  from  deep  water  in  Lake  Champlain  to  the  junc¬ 
tion  with  the  Oswego-Mohawk  route  below  Albany. 


PHYSICAL  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  ROUTE. 


From  Lake  Ontario  to  the  lower  end  of  Lake  St.  Francis,  wheie  the 
route  leaves  the  St.  Lawrence  River,  any  system  of  improvement 
must  consist  of  river  rectification  and  of  locks  and  dams  for  slack- 
water  navigation  around  the  rapids. 

Above  Ogdensburg  the  channels  are  so  deep  that  the  slope  is  very 
small,  but  from  Ogdensburg  to  Valleyfield  the  average  fall  of  the 
river  is  about  1.2  feet  per  mile,  a  large  portion  of  which  is  concen¬ 
trated  at  the  rapids  of  the  river. 


East  of  the  lower  end  of  Lake  St.  Francis  the  country  for  over  20 
miles  is  from  10  to  12  feet  lower  than  the  lake,  through  which  valley 
the  St.  Louis,  Cliateauguay,  and  English  rivers  flow.  East  of  this 
valley  a  ridge  of  limestone  and  quartzite  forms  the  drainage  divide 
between  these  streams  and  Lake  Champlain. 

The  valley  of  Wood  Creek  from  near  Smiths  Basin  to  Lake  Cham¬ 
plain  and  of  Bond  Creek  south  from  the  divide  to  the  Hudson  River 
below  Fort  Edward  constitute  a  narrow  trough  between  the  foothills 
of  the  Adirondack  and  Green  Mountains,  through  which  any  water¬ 
way  from  Lake  Champlain  to  the  Hudson  will  have  to  be  located. 

The  Hudson  River  between  Fort  Edward  and  Troy  consists  of  a 
series  of  pools  separated  by  water-power  dams  at  the  rapids  over  the 
rock  reefs  between  the  different  pools. 

From  the  State  dam  at  Troy  to  New  York  the  river  is  a  tidal  stream. 


ST.  LAWRENCE  DIVISION. 

The  surveys  and  investigations  of  this  division  were  made,  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Board,  by  Mr.  .T.  W.  Beardsley,  Assistant 
Engineer,  who  organized  a  party  for  doing  the  work  in  August,  1898, 
and  completed  the  field  work  in  June,  1899. 

The  St.  Lawrence  River  from  Tibbetts  Point  to  the  foot  of  Lake  St. 
Francis,  a  distance  of  142  miles,  has  a  fall  of  93  feet,  distributed  in 
rapids  and  river  slopes  under  conditions  which  make  any  project  for 
the  improvement  of  the  river  for  deep-draft  vessels  difficult  and 
expensive. 

The  depth  of  the  Canadian  system  of  canals  between  Lake  Ontario 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


71 


and  deep  water  in  the  St.  Lawrence  River  below  Montreal  is  such  that 
any  variation  in  the  volume  of  flow  of  the  river  is  of  great  importance 
to  navigation  interests,  and  therefore  any  project  which  is  to  have  the 
approval  of  the  Canadian  government  must  be  such  that  the  low- 
water  discharge  of  the  river  can  be  maintained  fully  as  large  as  under 
natural  conditions. 

The  river  above  Galops  Island  is  generally  wide  and  deep,  and  for 
a  distance  of  05  miles  the  total  fall  at  standard  low  water  is  only  1 
foot.  The  navigable  channel  through  the  Thousand  Islands  and 
Brocks  Group,  as  shown  on  the  charts,  is  from  40  feet  to  120  feet  deep, 
but  in  places  is  less  than  500  feet  wide,  and  in  case  the  river  should 
be  improved  for  30-foot  navigation  it  is  possible  that  points  of  rock 
above  grade  maybe  found  within  the  limits  of  the  channel  which  have 
not  been  located  by  previous  surveys. 

No  estimate  has  been  included  for  this  section  of  the  river,  as  the 
United  States  Lake  Survey  charts,  which  are  considered  reliable, 
indicate  a  channel  of  over  30  feet  depth,  with  a  minimum  width  of 
about  500  feet. 

At  the  Galops  Rapids  the  river  has  a  fall  at  low  water  of  about  10 
feet  in  a  distance  of  3  miles,  with  two  channels  having  a  combined 
cross  section  of  about  40,000  square  feet.  It  is  proposed  to  improve 
this  reach  of  the  river  by  closing  the  channels  between  Galops  Island, 
Benedict  Island,  Raycroft  Island,  Lalone  Island,  Sheldons  Island,  and 
the  mainland,  and  enlarging  the  discharge  sect  ion  of  the  channel  north 
of  Galops  Island  so  as  to  maintain  the  normal  discharge  of  the  river, 
with  the  south  channel  improved  for  slack- water  navigation. 

The  head  of  the  North  Channel  is  partly  obstructed  by  Adams 
Island,  below  which  there  are  heavy  rapids,  so  that  by  enlarging  the 
channel  between  Galops  and  Adams  Island  for  a  distance  of  about 
2,000  feet  any  increase  of  discharge  necessary  to  compensate  for  loss 
from  slack-water  navigation  in  the  South  Channel  may  be  obtained; 
and,  in  fact,  if  desirable,  regulating  works  can  be  established  by 
which  the  volume  of  discharge  of  the  river  can  be  controlled  at  all 
times. 

The  project  on  which  estimates  are  based  consists  in  closing  the 
outlets  of  the  South  Channel,  so  as  to  secure  slack-water  navigation 
and  to  lock  down  into  the  pool  below  with  a  lock  at  Sheldons  Island, 
and  also  to  enlarge  the  head  of  the  North  Channel  sufficiently  to 
maintain  the  normal  flow  of  the  river  when  the  South  Channel  is 
closed. 

From  the  foot  of  Sheldons  Island  to  the  head  of  Ogdens  Island,  a 
distance  of  about  8  miles,  the  river  consists  of  three  pools,  separated 
at  Long  Point  and  Rockway  Point  by  narrow,  deep  channels,  having 
maximum  current  velocities  of  about  10  feet  per  second  and  mean 
velocities  of  G  feet  per  second  on  curves  of  2,000  feet  radius. 

The  curvature  is  so  sharp  that  the  water  surface  of  the  eddy  below 
Long  Point  is  2.25  feet  lower  than  that  of  the  pool  4,000  feet  above, 


72 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


and  at  Rock  way  Point  3.7  feet  lower  at  the  eddy  than  7,000  feet  above 
on  the  upper  side  of  the  point. 

The  river  is  susceptible  of  improvement  at  these  points  by  two  dif¬ 
ferent  methods,  viz:  first,  by  cutting  canals  across  the.  points  and 
locking  down  into  the  pools  below,  and,  second,  by  enlarging  and 
straightening  the  prism  of  the  river  opposite  the  points,  so  as  to 
diminish  the  velocity  of  current  and  increase  the  radius  of  the  chan¬ 
nel  curve  sufficiently  to  make  the  reach  safely  navigable  for  all  classes 
of  vessels. 

An  investigation  of  the  natural  conditions  developed  the  fact  that 
the  latter  method  could  be  carried  out  at  less  cost  than  improvement 
by  locks  and  canals,  and,  as  the  time  required  for  the  passage  of  ves¬ 
sels  with  enlarged  river  would  be  less  than  with  locks,  the  plans  and 
estimates  have  been  based  on  the  project  for  rectifying  the  river 
channel. 

The  natural  low-water  fall  of  the  river  from  the  foot  of  Sheldons 
Island  to  the  head  of  Ogdens  Island  is  about  9.0  feet  which,  with  the 
river  channel  enlarged  and  straightened  at  Long  and  Rockway  points, 
will  be  reduced  to  7.3  feet  and  the  slope  made  nearly  uniform  over 
the  entire  reach. 

An  interesting  feature  of  the  proposed  improvement  is  that  the  slope 
of  the  upper  pool  will  be  decreased  and  of  the  two  lower  pools  increased 
by  the  change  which  will  be  made  in  the  velocity  of  the  currents  flow¬ 
ing  into  and  out  of  the  respective  pools. 

From  deep  water  in  the  pool  above  Ogdens  Island  to  slack  water 
below  Rapide  Plat,  a  distance  of  about  3?  miles,  it  is  proposed  to  con¬ 
struct  a  navigable  channel  by  cutting  a  short  canal  through  Leishmans 
Point  into  Little  River  on  the  south  side  of  Ogdens  Island  and  con¬ 
structing  a  lock  and  dam  at  Clarks  Point,  thereby  making  slack-water 
navigation  around  the  rapids. 

There  is  at  present  a  water-power  dam  across  Little  River  from 
Waddington  to  Ogdens  Island,  about  1  mile  above  the  proposed  loca¬ 
tion  for  lock  and  dam,  which  would  be  destroyed  by  the  proposed 
improvement,  but  much  better  facilities  for  developing  power  may 
be  had  at  the  proposed  site. 

The  lift  required  at  the  Clarks  Point  lock  will  be  about  1 1.8  fuel  for 
standard  low  water. 

From  Clarks  Point  to  Bradfords  Hill,  a  distance  of  7  miles,  the 
natural  channel  will  have  to  be  widened  in  several  places  to  obtain 
a  21-foot  channel  600  feet  wide,  and  for  30-foot  navigation  the  river 
will  have  to  be  widened  and  deepened  for  a  large  part  of  the  reach. 

From  Bradford  Hill  to  Richards  Point,  at  the  head  of  the  Long 
Sault  Rapids,  there  is  a  good  navigable  channel  of  over  21  feet  depth, 
but  for  30-foot  navigation  a  cut  about  1,700  feet  long  will  be  required 
through  the  shoal  about  a  mile  above  Louisville  landing. 

From  Richards  Point  t  hrough  the  Long  Sault  Rapids  to  the  mouth 
of  Grass  River  at  the  head  of  Cornwall  Island  (10.6  miles)  there  is  a 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


73 


fall  of  about  48  feet  which  it  is  proposed  to  overcome  by  construct¬ 
ing'  a  canal  of  standard  cross  section  through  the  flat  country  to  the 
south  of  the  St.  Lawrence  River  with  a  lock  of  48  feet  lift  near  the 
lower  end. 

The  surveys  and  investigations  were  made  with  reference  to  estab¬ 
lishing  two  locks  of  24  feet  lift  each,  but  rock  could  not  be  found  at 
the  proper  elevation  for  such  a  project,  and  therefore  designs  and 
estimates  have  been  made  for  a  single  lock.  The  cost  for  a  single 
lock  will  be  somewhat  less  than  for  two,  and  the  time  for  passing  a 
vessel  will  average  over  a  half  hour  less  fora  single  lift  than  with 
two  locks  having  half  the  total  lift  each. 

Below  the  Long  Sault  Rapids  the  channel  will  require  widening  in 
places  to  obtain  21  feet  depth,  600  feet  wide,  and  for  30-foot  navi¬ 
gation  the  channel  will  have  to  be  deepened  and  widened  for  the 
reaches  shown  on  plates  42  and  43,  and  described  in  detail  in  the 
report  of  the  assistant  engineer  in  charge  of  the  surveys,  Appendix 
No.  11. 

The  fluctuation  of  the  water  surface  above  and  below  the  Long  Sault 
Rapids  varies  from  2  to  4  feet  under  normal  conditions  of  the  river, 
but  at  times  of  ice  jams  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Regis  Island,  which  last 
from  one  to  three  months,  the  water  at  the  mouth  of  Grass  River 
generally  rises  from  10  to  25  feet  above  low  stage. 

MATERIALS  TO  BE  EXCAVATED. 

Borings  were  made  at  frequent  intervals  in  the  bed  of  the  river  and 
along  the  alignment  of  the  canal  sections  to  determine  the  nature  of 
the  material  above  bottom  grade  of  the  proposed  waterway. 

Rock,  where  above  bottom  grade  of  the  waterway,  is  a  dark  gray 
limestone,  and  well  adapted  for  use  in  constructing  dams,  locks,  slope, 
and  retaining  walls.  The  higher  portions  of  the  points  and  islands 
crossed  by  the  proposed  route  have  a  rich,  shallow,  loamy  surface 
overlying  a  core  of  bowlder,  clay  approaching  close  to  t lie  surface  on 
the  upstream  side,  while  on  the  downstream  side  considerable  clay, 
sand,  and  softer  materials  are  frequently  found,  a  complete  classifi¬ 
cation  of  which  will  be  found  in  Appendix  No.  11. 


Estimates  for  30-foot  channel. 

Excavation  _ .  .  _  . . . . . . . .  . . . . $26, 460, 021 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill . . . . .  567, 716 

Embankment...  ...  . .  .. . . .  88,039 

Right  of  way  and  drainage  . . . . . . .  270,  775 

Highways .  . . .  . .  920 

Bridges  and  ferries  .  ...  . . . . .  . . . ...  242, 888 

Locks . . . . . .  . ... _  .......  ......  3,  348,  313 

Dams  . . . . . . . .  129,011 

Operating  plant  . .  ..........  .  . . .  300,000 

Piers  and  cribs . . . . .  . . .. . .  878,170 


32,285,853 


Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent _  3, 228, 585 

Total . . . .  35,514,438 


74 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Estimates  for  21-foot  channel. 

Excavation . . . .  . . . . .  $14,620,422 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill _ _ _ _  506,557 

Embankment  . . .  .  . .. . .  . .  86, 1 63 

Right  of  way .  . . . . . ..  . . .  ...  .  270,775 

Highways  . .  ..  .  _ . ..  .  . . ..  920 

Bridges  and  ferries  .  _ .. _ _ _ _ _ _  242,888 

Locks  . . . .  _ . - . .  ....  . . . .  2, 198,  689 

Dams.  ... . . . . . .  . . . .  129,011 

Operating  plant  . . . . . .  300,000 

Piers  and  cribs  ...  _ _ _  _ _  _ _ _  760,132 


19,115,557 

Engineer. ng,  superintendence,  and  contingencies.  10  per  cent.. _  1,911,556 

Total _  _ _ _ _ _ _  21,027,113 


NORTHERN  DIVISION. 

The  surveys  and  investigations  of  routes  from  the  St.  Lawrence 
River  to  Lake  Champlain  were  commenced  in  July,  1898,  by  a  party 
under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Frank  P.  Davis,  assistant  engineer,  and  were 
completed  in  May,  1899,  the  details  of  which  will  be  found  in  Appen¬ 
dix  No.  12. 

A  careful  barometric  reconnoissance  was  made  by  the  Board  in 
advance  of  field  work  and  limits  fixed  for  the  location  of  routes  and 
areas  of  country  to  be  covered  by  the  surveys.  The  divide  between 
Lake  Champlain  and  the  St.  Lawrence  is  about  12  miles  west  of  Kings 
Bay  and  has  an  elevation  of  218  feet  above  mean  tide  at  New  York, 
or  about  66  feet  above  the  low- water  stage  of  Lake  St.  Francis. 

The  surface  of  the  country  northwest  of  the  divide  gradually  drops, 
and  for  23  miles  at  the  western  end  of  the  division  is  below  the  level 
of  Lake  St.  Francis;  but  to  avoid  deepening  the  cut  through  the  divide 
the  Lake  St.  Francis  level  is  carried  through  to  within  4  miles  of  Lake 
Champlain. 

The  proposed  route  was  located  with  reference  to  keeping  on  land 
of  such  elevation  that  the  material  to  be  excavated  would  be  generally 
sufficient  to  form  the  embankments,  and  also  that  the  surface  of  the 
canal  should  not  be  so  much  above  the  general  level  of  the  country  as 
to  be  dangerous  to  adjacent  lands. 

For  a  distance  of  about  12  miles  west  of  Aubrey  the  surface  of  the 
canal  will  be  from  10  to  12  feet  above  the  general  level  of  the  adjacent 
country,  and  for  a  waterway  of  21  feet  depth  more  material  will  be 
required  for  embankments  than  can  be  obtained  from  the  excavation, 
and  for  10  miles  the  estimates  have  been  made  for  depths  of  23  to 
25  feet. 

In  the  preliminary  project  it  was  proposed  to  cross  the  Chateauguay 
River  with  an  aqueduct  a  short  distance  below  the  dam  at  Ormstown, 
but  owing  to  danger  of  floods  from  ice  jams  a  new  location  and  esti¬ 
mates  for  the  waterway  were  made  in  October,  1899,  based  on  plans 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


75 


for  raising  the  level  of  the  Chateaugay  to  that  of  the  canal,  by  build¬ 
ing  a  dam  about  3,200  feet  above  the  site  of  the  proposed  aqueduct, 
and  confining  the  river  between  dikes  on  each  side  of  the  river  from 
Ormstown  to  Huntington,  about  64  miles. 

A  similar  plan  was  adopted  at  the  crossing  of  the  English  River 
near  Aubrey,  with  overflow  weirs  for  the  discharge  of  flood  waters 
from  the  river.  In  both  cases  the  drainage  of  adjacent  lands  has  been 
provided  for  by  ditches  and  by  siphons  under  the  canal. 

The  Chazy  River,  which  flows  into  Lake  Champlain  at  Kings  Bay, 
is  intersected  by  the  waterway  location  near  Champlain,  and  as  t  lie 
stream  is  the  source  of  water  supply  for  the  town  and  for  power  pur¬ 
poses,  it  has  been  necessary  to  make  designs  and  estimates  for  rectify¬ 
ing  the  river  channel  so  as  to  take  the  river  discharge  into  the 
waterway  without  injury  to  the  existing  water  rights,  the  details  of 
which  are  fully  described  in  Appendix  No.  12. 

LOCKS. 

In  order  to  maintain  a  water  supply  for  the  Hudson  River  division 
of  the  Champlain  route  it  is  proposed  to  regulate  the  level  of  Lake 
Champlain  at  or  above  a  stage  of  100  feet  above  mean  tide  at  New 
York,  making  the  fall  from  Lake  St.  Francis  to  Kings  Bay  about 
52.4  feet.  This  can  be  overcome  by  a  single  lock  for  the  total  lift,  or 
by  two  locks  of  26.2  feet  lift  each;  but  since  the  time  for  a  passage 
of  a  vessel  will  lie  about  a  half  hour  less  with  a  single  lock  than  with 
two,  and  as  the  cost  of  construction  and  maintenance  will  be  less,  de¬ 
signs  of  structures  and  estimates  have  been  made  for  a  project  with 
single  lock. 

The  extreme  fluctuation  of  Lake  St.  Francis  during  the  season  of 
navigation  is  about  3.5  feet,  and  to  prevent  the  excessive  currents  and 
high  water  in  the  level  of  the  canal  a  guard  lock  is  required  near  the 
entrance.  This,  however,  will  have  to  be  operated  as  a  lock  for  only 
a  short  period  of  each  year. 

WATER  SUPPLY. 

The  supply  of  water  for  lockage  on  the  Hudson  River  Division  and 
to  furnish  the  necessary  flow  down  the  Richelieu  River  during  low- 
water  seasons  will  require  about  1,500  cubic  feet  per  second  for  from 
one  to  three  months  each  year,  or  a  mean  flow  of  one-fourth  of  a  foot 
per  second  in  a  waterway  30  feet  deep  and  one-third  of  a  foot  per 
second  in  a  21-foot  waterway. 

MATERIAL  TO  BE  EXCAVATED. 

Borings  were  made  at  intervals  of  about  1,000  feet  along  the  align¬ 
ment  of  the  route  to  determine  the  elevation  of  the  rock  surface  where 
above  bottom  grade  of  the  canal,  and  four  diamond-drill  holes  were 
put  down  at  locations  which  show  the  general  character  of  rock  to  be 
excavated  and  the  nature  of  the  foundations  for  locks  and  for  the 
Chateauguy  River  Dam.  (See  Appendix  No.  18.) 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


From  t  lie  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Chateauguay  at  Ormstown  the  Led  of 
the  canal  will  he  in  limestone  rock  for  about  one-half  the  distance. 
From  Ormstown  to  the  English  River  the  cutting  will  be  mostly 
through  clay,  with  occasional  mounds  of  bowlders,  and  from  the 
English  River  to  Champlain  the  cutting  is  through  limestone,  sand¬ 
stone,  and  quartzite  rock.  The  soil  overlying  the  rock  is  mostly  a 
stiff  clay  with  occasional  bowlders. 

Rock  for  concrete,  slope,  and  retaining  walls  can  be  obtained  within 
reasonable  hauling  distance  from  material  to  be  excavated,  but  all 
sand  for  construction  will  probably  have  to  be  brought  from  either 
Lake  St.  Francis  or  Lake  Champlain. 


Estimate  for  30-foot  channel. 

Excavation. ... . . .  ... - - -  $47,792,597 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill _ .  _ . .. .  2,  630, 108 

Embankment . . . . . . — .  1.  705,  922 

Right  of  way  . .  . . - . . .  . - . - . -----  681,590 

Railway  changes  . - . . . — . - . .  218, 599 

Bridges  and  ferries  _ _ _ - . . . .  1, 117,949 

Entrance  of  streams .  . . . .  31,645 

Dams,  drains,  sluice  gates,  etc _ _ _  _ _ _  _  243,240 

Cr i  bs  at  lock  approaches _  _ _ _ _  151, 436 

LocaS  .  _ _ _ _ _ _ -  . .  .  ...  2,526,653 

Operating  plant _  .  .  200, 000 

Regulating  works,  Lake  Champlain . . . . . .  890,  244 


58, 189.983 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  c<  mtingencies,  10  per  cent_ _ _ _ _  5, 818,  998 


Total.  . .  . . . . . . . .  64,008,981 

Estimate  for  21-foot  channel. 

Excavation . . .  . .  . . -  $34,978,172 

Re  ain  ng  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill . .  1,804, 186 

Embankment . . - . - . - _ _ _ _ _ _  1 .  766, 991 

R  gilt  of  way.  _ _ _ _  _ _  _  _-  -.  681,590 

Railway  changes  . . . ...  . . . .  218,599 

Bridges  and  ferries  .  _ ...  ..  . . .  1,020,247 

Entrance  of  streams _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  31,645 

Dams,  drains,  sluices,  ga  es.etc. . . . . .  243,240 

Cribs  at  lock  approaches  .  ...  _  _ _ _ _  115,234 

Locks . . . . . . .  1,606,832 

Operating  plant  . .  .  ...  _ _  _ _  200, 000 

Regulating  works.  Lake  Champlain.  _ _ _ _ _ _  890,244 


43, 556, 980 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent  _  4, 355, 698 


Total _ _ _  _  47,912,678 


REGULATING  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

The  project  of  a  down-grade  canal  from  Lake  Ontario  to  Albany,  via 
Lake  Champlain  and  Hudson  River,  requires  that  the  supply  of  water 
for  locks  south  of  Lake  Champlain  be  taken  from  the  lake,  and  in 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


77 


arder  to  secure  an  adequate  flow  from  Whitehall  to  Fort  Edward  the 
level  of  the  lake  must  be  maintained  at  an  elevation  of  about  100  feet 
above  mean  tide  at  New  York.  The  fluctuation  of  the  monthly  mean 
levels  of  the  lake  is  about  6.5  feet,  which  must  be  reduced  to  1.5  feet 
in  order  to  properly  control  the  flow  from  the  lake  to  the  Hudson  River. 

The  outflow  from  the  lake  through  the  Richelieu  River  varies  from 
4,000  cubic  feet  per  second  at  low  water  to  about  36,000  cubic  feet  per 
second  at  high  water,  which  is  utilized  at  Chambly,  Quebec,  for  de¬ 
veloping  power,  and  must  be  maintained  fully  as  large  for  low  stages 
as  under  natural  conditions. 

To  accomplish  this  it  is  proposed  to  construct  a  dam  across  the  foot 
of  the  lake  1.5  miles  sout  h  of  Rouses  Point,  with  a  lock  for  the  passage 
of  vessels,  and  sluice  gates  of  such  dimensions  that,  when  all  the  gates 
are  open,  the  maximum  volume  of  supply  to  the  lake  may  be  passed. 
The  details  of  this  project  are  described  in  Appendix  No.  8. 


ESTIMATE. 

Lock  and  channel . . .  . . -  . . $853,364 

Regular  sluices . .  . ....  . .  . __ . .  134,258 

Dam  .  .  __ .  . . .  402,622 

8  /0,  244 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent _ _  89.024 

Total..  ..  . . . .  . .  979,268 


HUDSON  RIVER  DIVISION. 

The  surveys  and  examinations  of  this  division  were  made  by  a  party 
under  the  direction  of  Mr.  C.  L.  Harrison,  assistant  engineer,  between 
April,  1898,  and  January,  1899,  and  are  fully  discussed  in  Appendix 
No.  10. 

The  division  extends  from  deep  water  in  Lake  Champlain  at  Port 
Henry  to  the  junction  with  the  Oswego-Mohawk  route  at  the  mouth  of 
Normans  Kill,  below  Albany,  a  distance  of  109  miles,  made  up  as  fol¬ 
lows:  Narrows  of  Lake  Champlain,  36  miles;  canal  from  Whitehall 
to  Fort  Edward,  23.4  miles;  canalized  river  Fort  Edward  to  mouth 
of  Normans  Kill,  49.6  miles. 

From  the  State  dam  at  Troy  to  the  mouth  of  Normans  Kill  the 
waterway  is  part  of  the  tidal  or  Lower  Hudson,  but  has  been  included 
in  this  division  for  the  purpose  of  comparison  of  routes. 

The  low-water  elevation  of  the  Hudson  River  at  Fort  Edward  under 
present  conditions  is  117.6  feet  above  mean  tide  at  New  York,  and  is 
maintained  at  this  stage  by  a  dam  at  Fort  Miller,  7. 1  miles  below. 

Two  different  projects  for  a  waterway  from  Lake  Champlain  to  the 
Hudson  were  investigated,  viz:  first,  a  high-level  canal  with  summit 
elevations  at  117.6  feet  above  mean  tide,  and  water  supply  for  opera¬ 
tion  and  lockage  to  be  obtained  from  reservoirs  on  the  Upper  Hudson; 


78 


PEEP  WATERWAYS. 


and,  second,  a  down-grade  canal  with  a  summit  elevation  of  100  feet 
from  Lake  Champlain  to  Northumberland,  2.5  miles  below  Fort  Miller, 
with  water  supply  to  be  obtained  from  Lake  Champlain  when  the 
Hudson  River  flow  is  not  in  excess  of  that  needed  for  power  purposes. 

A  preliminary  estimate  developed  the  fact  that  the  cost  for  addi¬ 
tional  locks,  reservoirs,  and  damages  to  water-power  privileges  would 
make  the  cost  of  the  high-level  canal  nearly  the  same  as  for  the  down¬ 
grade  waterway,  and  as  the  latter  would  cost  less  to  maintain  and 
would  save  about  one  hour  in  time  of  passage  of  each  vessel,  it  was 
adopted  as  the  project  on  which  to  base  estimates. 

The  waterway  from  Lake  Champlain  to  Fort  Edward  will  be  in 
excavation  for  the  entire  distance,  and  lias  been  designed  and  estimated 
for  the  standard  dimensions  of  cross  section  shown  on  figs.  2  and  3, 
but  from  Fort  Edward  to  Albany  the  cross  section  must  be  such  as  to 
not  only  afford  good  navigation,  but  to  carry  the  flood  waters  of 
the  river  with  a  velocity  which  will  not  erode  the  banks,  or  less  than 
4  feet  per  second. 

From  a  careful  study  of  the  records  of  previous  surveys,  and  from 
the  elevations  of  well  established  high-water  marks,  it  is  safe  to  state 
that  the  range  of  the  floods  for  the  past  sixty  years  is  quite  accurately 
known. 

During  this  period  two  notable  high  waters  have  occurred — April, 
1869,  and  April,  1896,  the  former  being  from  1.5  to  3  feet  higher  than 
the  latter,  as  shown  by  the  records  for  different  points.  A  flood  like 
that  of  1896  is  not  likely  to  occuroftener  than  once  in  fifteen  to  twenty 
years,  and,  since  the  duration  of  the  maximum  flood  seldom  exceeds 
one  day,  a  channel  designed  to  carry  the  discharge  with  a  mean 
velocity  of  less  than  4  feet  per  second  may  be  considered  safe.  From 
the  depths  on  the  dams  at  Fort  Edward  and  Mechanicville,  and  from 
the  recent  observations  at  Cornell  University  to  determine  the  coeffi¬ 
cient  of  the  weir  formula,  it  has  been  found  that  the  discharge  at  the 
two  dams  in  1896  was,  respectively,  47,700  cubic  feet  per  second  and 
65,800  cubic  feet  per  second. 

In  fixing  the  cross  sections  for  the  waterway  it  was  assumed  that 
17,000  cubic  feet  per  second  could  be  turned  toward  Lake  Champlain 
through  the  canal  at  times  of  heavy  floods  in  the  Hudson,  thereby 
reducing  the  volume  of  maximum  flow  between  Fort  Edward  and 
Fort  Miller  to  32,000  cubic  feet  per  second;  35,000  cubic  feet  per 
second  at  Dam  No.  2,  and  48,800  cubic  feet  per  second  at  Dams  Nos 
3,  4,  and  5. 

At  low  water  the  pools  between  respective  locks  are  practically  level, 
which  fixes  the  elevation  of  the  bottom  of  the  waterway,  but,  since  the 
depth  on  the  crests  of  the  dams  is  about  5  feet  more  at  times  of  fresh¬ 
ets,  a  system  of  movable  crests  for  these  dams  can  be  constructed,  by 
which  the  low-water  level  may  be  raised  from  3  to  4  feet,  thereby 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


79 


diminishing  the  range  of  stage  a  like  amount,  and  at  the  same  time 
largely  reducing  the  amount  of  excavation. 

The  low-water  stage  under  present  conditions  is  not  definitely  fixed, 
for  the  reason  that  the  water  wheels  installed  at  the  dams  have  a 
greater  capacity  than  the  volume  of  low-water  flow,  and  as  a  result  the 
water  in  the  pools  is  often  drawn  down  from  1  to  2  feet  below  the 
crests  of  the  dams.  To  maintain  the  required  navigable  depth  with 
the  river  improved  by  locks  and  dams,  the  use  of  water  would  have 
to  be  limited  to  the  volume  of  supply. 

If  the  location  and  elevation  of  dams  can  be  maintained  nearly  the 
same  as  at  present,  it  is  evident  that  the  industries  depending  upon  the 
power  at  the  dam  sites  will  not  be  materially  modified,  and  if  movable 
crests  for  the  dams  be  used  the  amount  of  available  power  at  low 
water  will  be  considerably  increased. 

Fortunately  such  plan  can  be  followed,  except  at  Fort  Miller,  where 
it  will  be  necessary  to  completely  remove  the  dam  in  order  to  carry 
the  Champlain  level  to  Northumberland. 

Starting  with  a  low-water  elevation  of  100  feet  above  mean  tide  in 
the  summit  level,  it  is  proposed  to  make  the  drop  from  Lake  Cham¬ 
plain  to  tidewater  with  six  locks,  with  lifts  varying  from  15  to  20  feet 
each. 

MATERIAL  TO  BE  EXCAVATED. 

In  Lake  Champlain  there  is  a  small  quantity  of  shale  above  bottom 
grade  of  the  30-foot  channel,  and  at  the  elbow  about  1  mile  north  of 
Whitehall  both  channels  cut  for  a  distance  of  <300  feet  a  projecting 
point  of  quartzite  rock  about  35  feet  above  lake  level. 

The  earth  in  the  bed  of  the  lake  is  mostly  sand,  silt,  and  mud. 
From  Whitehall  to  Fort  Ann  the  rock,  where  above  grade,  is  a  hard 
quartzite  overlaid  with  sand  and  clay. 

Between  Fort  Ann  and  Fort  Edward  a  hard  shale  or  slate  is  found 
above  grade  in  several  places,  which  disintegrates  rapidly  when  exca¬ 
vated  and  exposed  to  the  air. 

The  cutting  through  the  summit  of  the  divide  between  Lake  Chain- 
plain  and  the  Hudson  is  from  30  to  45  feet  above  the  surface  of  the 
proposed  waterway  for  a  distance  of  10  miles. 

From  Fort  Edward  to  Normans  Kill  the  rock,  where  cut  by  the 
channel,  is  a  slate  or  shale  in  irregular  layers,  with  a  sharp  dip  to  the 
eastward,  overlaid  with  sand  and  clay. 

In  the  Hudson  below  the  State  dam  at  Troy  there  are  a  number  of 
large  deposits  of  bowlders,  stone,  and  gravel,  mixed  with  clay  and 
sand. 

On  the  northern  portion  of  the  division  sand  and  rock  suitable  for 
concrete  and  for  slope  and  retaining  walls  can  be  obtained  from  the 
excavation,  but  for  all  structures  on  the  Hudson  material  will  have 
to  be  brought  in. 


80 


DEEP  WATKRVV A YS. 


STRUCTURES. 

One  guard  lock  and  six  locks  and  dams  will  be  required,  at  four  of 
which  movable  crests  on  the  dams  will  be  needed  to  secure  the  best 
results  at  minimum  cost. 

The  location  and  description  of  bridges  needed  are  given  in  Appen¬ 
dix  No.  10. 

Power  for  operating  gates  and  machinery  may  be  generated  at  each 
lock,  and,  as  the  water  supply  is  to  be  brought  from  the  St.  Lawrence 
River,  such  arrangement  will  not  infringe  on  existing  water  rights. 

STABILITY  OF  CHANNEL. 

The  Upper  Hudson  carries  but  little  sediment,  except  at  times  of 
heavy  floods,  and  a  comparison  of  the  present  profile  with  that  from 
a  survey  made  in  1800  indicates  that  there  has  been  only  slight 
changes  in  the  bed  of  the  river  and  alignment  of  the  banks,  and, 
since  the  slope  and  velocity  of  current  in  the  proposed  waterway  will 
be  less  than  under  present  conditions,  it  is  probable  that  but  little 
excavation  will  be  needed  to  mantain  a  navigable  channel. 


Estimate  for  30-foot  channel. 

With  fixed  dams: 

Excavation . . -  . . . . . . . $82, 258, 924 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill  . . . . . . .  2,455,807 

Right  of  way  ...... _ ...  . . .  . . .  3,414,350 

Entrance  of  streams  . . . . . . . .  .  173,190 

Bridges  and  ferries  . . .  . . _ .  .  2, 062, 355 

Gates  for  by-pass  . . . . . . . .  52,115 

Locks _ .  .  . . . . . .  .  6, 879, 095 

Dams  ...  .  ...  . . .  . . .  . . .  139,568 

Operating  plant  ..  . . . . .  .  700.000 

Piers  at  lock  approaches  _ _ _ _ _ _  764, 145 

Railroad  changes  .  . . .  . . .  124,500 


99.023,615 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingences,  10  per  cent  ._  .  9,902,361 


Total .  . . . .  . . . . .  108.925,976 


With  movable  dams: 

Aggregate  cost  of  above  items .  . . .  93. 833, 615 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent . . .  9, 383, 362 


Total  . . . . .  . . . .  103,216,977 


Estimate^' or  3 1-foot  channel. 


With  fixed  dams: 

Excavation _  ...  .  . . . .  $53,024,282 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and  back  fill . . .  1, 951, 893 

Right  of  way .  . . . . . . , _  3,414,350 

Entrance  of  streams . . . . . . .  173, 196 

Bridges  and  ferries . . .  . . .  1 . 903, 943 

Gates  for  bv-p.;8s .  . .  .......  .  .  43, 385 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


81 


Estimate  for  21-foot  channel — Continued. 

With  fixed  dams — Continued. 

Locks . $4,297,015 

Dams . - . . . .  189,5(38 

Operating  plant . . . .  700, 000 

Piers  at  lock  approaches . . . .  714, 841 

Railroad  changes- . . . .  124, 500 


66,486,473 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent....  6, 648, 647 


Total  . . . .  78,135,120 


With  movable  dams: 

Aggregate  cost  of  above  items  .  61,  752, 473 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies.  10  per  cent _  6, 175, 247 


Total . . .  67,927,720 


THE  TIDAL  HUDSON. 

With  the  exception  of  a  short  reach  of  river  opposite  Germantown, 
there  is  a  navigable  channel  21  feet  deep  from  Hudson  City  to  tide 
water  at  New  York,  but  for  30-foot  navigation  dredging  will  be 
required  near  Livingston  Light,  at  Germantown  Crossing,  at  Barry- 
town  Crossing,  opposite  Rhinebeck,  in  Have rst raw  Bay,  and  in  Tappan 
Sea. 

From  Hudson  to  the  State  Dam  at  Troy  navigation  is  obstructed  by 
numerous  bars  which,  under  the  existing  project  for  improvement  of 
the  river,  are  being  removed  to  a  depth  of  12  feet  for  a  width  of  400 
feet. 

Below  Albany  the  river  is  susceptible  of  easy  improvement  for  a 
depth  of  30  feet,  but  will  probably  be  expensive  to  maintain  for  depths 
of  over  21  feet.  Between  Troy  and  Albany  a  large  amount  of  rock  is 
encountered  above  the  bottom  grade  of  both  the  21-foot  and  30-foot 
channels,  and  for  a  distance  of  6,000  feet  below  the  State  Dam  the 
material  overlying  the  bed  rock  is  largely  stone  and  bowlders  and  will 
be  expensive  to  excavate.  The  adoption  of  Normans  Kill  as  a  part  of 
the  Oswego-Mohawk  route  eliminates  the  worst  features  of  the  Hudson 
River  improvement  from  the  proposed  route  and  leaves  that  part  of 
the  project  easy  to  construct. 

The  tidal  division  of  the  river  extends  to  the  State  Dam  at  Troy, 
but  owing  to  the  bars  above  Albany  the  range  of  the  tides  diminishes 
rapidly  above  that  place. 

At  an  average  stage  of  the  river  the  ebb  currents  are  well  defined, 
but  the  effect  of  flood  tide  is  only  apparent  from  slackening  of  the 
current  and  the  rising  of  the  water  surface.  At  the  low  stage  of  the 
river  the  tidal  currents  become  alternating  and  are  well  defined  in 
both  directions. 

-  II.  Doc.  149 - 6 


82 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


A  study  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  tides  under  the  present  conditions 
of  the  river  channel  indicates  that,  with  the  channel  deepened  to  21 
feet,  the  elevation  for  low  water  at  the  State  Dam  would  be  about  1.23 
feet  above  mean  low-svater  at  New  York,  and  that  the  range  of  the 
tides  would  be  largely  increased. 

The  proposed  project  for  the  improvement  of  the  river  is  based  on 
channels  21  and  30  feet  deep,  300  feet  wide  for  a  distance  of  29,800  feet 
below  the  State  Dam,  400  feet  wide  for  36,040  feet,  and  600  feet  wide 
thence  to  New  York.  The  existing  regulating  dikes  can  be  utilized 
in  case  the  improvement  should  be  carried  out,  but  about  23,500  linear 
feet  of  dikes  additional  will  be  needed  to  prevent  inflow  of  silt  from 
cross  currents  due  to  rise  and  fall  of  tides  and  to  limit  the  width  of  the 
channel  at  points  where  the  cross  section  of  the  river  is  large  in  rela¬ 
tion  to  the  depth. 

The  reach  from  the  State  Dam  to  the  mouth  of  Normans  Kill,  which 
constitutes  a  part  of  the  Champlain  route,  will  be  the  most  difficult  to 
improve  and  maintain. 

From  the  junction  of  the  two  routes  to  deep  water  in  the  lower  river 
the  material  to  be  excavated  is  mostly  sand,  gravel,  and  clay,  except  at 
a  few  places  where  shale  rock  is  found  above  the  bottom  grade  of  the 
proposed  waterways. 

There  are  five  bridges  across  the  river  in  the  vicinity  of  Albany  and 
Troy  which  will  have  to  be  reconstructed  in  case  the  waterway  via  the 
Champlain  route  should  be  adopted,  but  below  the  junctions  of  the 
two  routes  at  the  mouth  of  the  Normans  Kill  the  only  bridge  across 
the  river  is  that  at  Poughkeepsie,  which  has  a  clear  height  above  the 
water  surface  of  160  feet. 

The  general  location  and  width  of  proposed  channels  are  shown  on 
plates  56-59  and  are  described  in  Appendix  15. 

Estimate. 


BELOW  NORMANS  KILL. 

30-foot  channel: 

Excavation .  §9, 233, 103 

Dikes . .  206,  413 


9,439,516 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent .  943.952 


Total .  10,  383,  468 


21-foot  channel: 

Excavation .  3,575,318 

Dikes .  206,413 


3,781,731 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent .  378, 173 


Total . 


4, 159, 904 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


83 


INTERMEDIATE  CHANNELS  OF  THE  LAKES. 

Under  existing  conditions  of  the  harbors  and  waterways  on  the 
Great  Lakes  a  ship  canal  of  21  or  more  feet  in  depth  from  the  seaboard 
would  terminate  in  Lake  Erie  without  a  single  lake  harbor  of  sufficient 
depth  to  admit  ships  of  the  draft  which  could  navigate  the  canal,  and 
without  a  connecting  waterway  with  the  upper  lakes  of  sufficient 
dimensions  to  allow  the  passage  of  fully  loaded  vessels  from  the  ship 
canal. 

The  shallow  depths  over  the  obstructions  to  navigation  in  the  St. 
Marys,  St.  Clair,  and  Detroit  rivers  fix  the  limit  of  draft  of  vessels 
for  the  entire  lake  system  of  waterways,  the  improvement  of  which  is 
of  the  highest  importance  to  the  internal  commerce  of  the  country. 
The  act  of  Congress  of  July  13,  1892,  provided  for  the  construction  of 
a  ship  channel  having  a  navigable  depth  of  20  feet  through  the  shal¬ 
lows  of  the  connecting  waters  of  the  Great  Lakes  where  such  depths 
had  not  already  been  obtained  by  previous  improvements. 

The  channels  actually  constructed  under  this  act  are  reported  to  be 
20  feet  deep  below  the  mean  stage  of  Lake  Superior  and  St.  Marys 
River,  about  20.5  feet  deep  below  the  mean  stage  of  Lake  Huron,  St. 
Clair,  and  Detroit  rivers,  and  21  feet  deep  below  mean  level  of  Lake 
Erie,  except  through  a  portion  of  the  lower  reach  of  the  Detroit 
River,  where  the  least  depth  at  low  water  is  about  18  feet,  making  an 
improvement  of  about  3  feet  at  this  locality  necessary  to  obtain  a 
navigable  channel  of  21  feet  deptli  through  the  river  at  low  stage. 

Tlie  system  of  improvement  of  lake  waterways  in  vogue  consists  in 
deepening  existing  channels  at  places  where  of  less  deptli  than 
required  for  ships  best  adapted  for  transporting  the  commerce  of  the 
lakes,  the  result  of  which  has  been  that  the  general  level  of  the  whole 
system  lias  been  lowered. 

The  mean  level  of  Lake  Huron  is  apparently  about  1  foot  lower  than 
it  was  fifteen  years  ago,  which  change  lias  resulted  from  the  enlarg¬ 
ing  and  deepening  of  channels  for  waterway  improvements  and  from 
the  natural  erosion  of  the  bed  of  the  river  at  the  outlet  of  the  lake. 
This  change  of  stage  in  Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan  has  produced  a 
like  effect  in  the  depth  of  channel  through  the  St.  Marys  River  below 
the  St.  Marys  Rapids.  Lakes  Erie,  Huron,  and  Michigan  have  a 
fluctuation  from  high  to  low  stages  of  about  4.5  feet,  and  since  the 
depth  through  the  shallow  portions  of  the  connecting  waterways  is 
less  than  that  required  for  ships  of  dimensions  best  adapted  for  the 
lake  traffic,  vessels  are  generally  constructed  for  a  draft  equal  to  the 
average  depth  to  be  expected  in  the  channels. 

The  only  apparent  remedy  for  this  condition  is  to  make  the  connect¬ 
ing  channels  equal  in  depth  to  those  of  the  terminal  harbors,  or  to 
regulate  the  level  of  the  lake  so  as  to  maintain  the  depth  in  shallow 
channels  nearly  constant  during  the  season  of  navigation. 


84 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Estimates  have  been  made  for  channels  21  and  30  feet  deep,  when 
Lake  Erie  is  at  stage  of  standard  low  water,  and  also  for  the  stage 
which  would  exist  if  the  level  be  maintained  at  fixed  elevation  by 
regulation. 

LAKE  ERIE  CHANNELS. 

At  the  head  of  Lake  Erie  the  depth  at  low  stage  of  the  lake  is  less 
than  20  feet  for  a  distance  of  about  5  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Detroit  River,  but  with  the  level  which  would  exist  with  the  lake  reg¬ 
ulated  no  improvement  would  be  required  for  a  21-foot  channel. 

To  establish  30-foot  navigation  a  cutting  would  have  to  be  made  in 
the  bed  of  the  lake  for  about  10  miles,  having  a  depth  of  about  10  feet 
for  over  half  the  distance.  Such  a  channel  would  deteriorate  rapidly 
from  deposits  due  to  wave  action  and  cross  currents,  and  would  require 
dredging  annually  to  maintain. 

DETROIT  RIVER  CHANNELS. 

For  a  distance  of  about  5  miles  near  the  mouth  of  the  river  a 
crooked  channel,  IS  feet  to  20  feet  deep  at  mean  stage,  has  been 
excavated  through  the  bowlder  and  limestone  reefs  which  obstruct 
the  waterway,  but  for  safe  navigation  the  channel  should  lie  straight¬ 
ened  and  made  t  lie  required  depth  for  a  width  of  at.  least  600  feet. 

LAKE  ST.  CLAIR. 

The  depth  of  the  lake  along  the  channel  line  is  about  19  feet  for 
low  stage  under  normal  conditions,  and  21  feet  at  the  low  stage  which 
would  exist  with  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  regulated.  The  grade  of 
a  21-foot  navigable  channel  would,  therefore,  be  but  little  below 
the  natural  bed  of  the  lake,  but  for  30-foot  navigation  the  cutting 
would  be  from  9  feet  to  1 1  feet  deep,  and  no  doubt  would  require  fre¬ 
quent  dredging  to  maintain  a  navigable  depth  for  full  width  of  the 
waterway. 

ST.  CLAIR  FLATS. 

A  channel  300  feet  wide  and  20  feet  deep  at  mean  stage  has  been 
dredged  between  piers  from  deep  water  in  the  South  Channel  to  the 
lake.  The  velocity  of  current  through  the  canal  is  about  1.7  miles 
per  hour,  and  to  make  navigation  safe  for  the  great  volume  of  com¬ 
merce  through  the  waterway  the  channel  should  be  widened  to  600 
feet  and  deepened  to  correspond  with  whatever  depths  may  be 
adopted  for  the  lake  waterways. 

The  excavation  would  be  mostly  sand,  clay,  and  gravel  and  can  be 
easily  executed  with  a  hydraulic  dredge. 

Through  the  St.  Clair  River  but  little  improvement  will  be  needed 
above  the  delta  for  either  the  21  or  30  foot  waterways,  except  to 
widen  and  straighten  the  channel  at  some  of  the  bends  and  to  cut 
through  the  middle  grounds  at  Port  Huron,  Marysville,  and  St.  Clair. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


85 


LAKES  HURON  AND  MICHIGAN. 

At  the  outlet  of  Lake  Huron  a  channel  21  feet  deep  and  over  600 
feet  wide  extends  from  deep  water  in  the  lake  into  the  head  of  the  St. 
Clair  River.  Through  the  eastern  end  of  the  bar  between  the  lake 
and  the  head  of  the  river  a  channel  300  feet  wide  and  40  feet  to  70 
feet  deep  has  been  scoured  during  recent  years,  and  probably  will 
continue  to  widen  from  natural  erosion.  The  material  eroded  from 
the  bar  is  very  likely  deposited  on  the  middle  grounds  which  have 
formed  in  the  river  opposite  Port  Huron  and  Marysville.  A  naviga¬ 
ble  30-foot  channel  through  this  waterway  will  require  that  the  chan¬ 
nel  which  has  been  scoured  through  the  natural  barrier  at  the  outlet 
of  the  lake  be  dredged  to  a  width  of  600  feet.  The  decrease  of  slope 
which  would  be  required  for  the  discharge  through  such  enlarged  out¬ 
let  would  lower  the  general  level  of  Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan,  and 
unless  the  low-water  slopes  of  the  river  be  decreased  by  regulating 
the  levels  of  Lakes  Erie  and  St.  Clair  th  '  results  might  be  a  serious 
objection  to  such  a  project  of  improvement. 

ST.  MARYS  RIVER. 

The  route  from  the  locks  at  the  Sault  to  deep  water  in  Mud  Lake 
has  been  located  through  Hay  Lake  and  the  West  Neebish  Channel 
for  the  reason  that  the  distance  is  less  and  the  route  can  be  constructed 
for  less  cost  than  through  the  other  branches  of  the  river. 

The  estimates  are  based  upon  channels  21  and  30  feet  deep,  600  feet 
wide  for  standard  low  water  in  Lake  Huron,  and  also  for  the  low 
stage  with  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  regulated.  , 

At  the  St.  Marys  Falls  the  three  existing  locks  are  considered  ample 
to  accommodate  the  traffic  of  Lake  Superior  ports  as  long  as  the  depth 
of  the  lake  harbors  does  not  exceed  21  feet,  but  for  greater  depth  of 
harbors  and  connecting  waterways  a  new  lock  will  be  required.  It  is 
true  that  one  of  the  larger  locks  is  on  t lie  Canadian  side  of  the  river, 
but  since  the  vessels  of  each  country  have  equal  privileges  in  all  of 
the  locks  the  facilities  are  ample  for  the  commerce  of  the  lakes.  In 
case  of  any  controversy  between  the  two  countries,  it  is  probable  that 
the  traffic  would  be  light  and  the  existing  American  locks  would  easily 
accommodate  the  business. 

Above  the  locks  channels  600  feet  wide  have  been  estimated  from 
the  canal  to  deep  water  at  the  head  of  the  river. 

Above  the  head  of  the  St.  Marys  River  there  are  no  obstructions  to 
30-foot  navigation  on  the  route,  outside  of  the  harbor  entrances. 

The  depth  to  which  the  entrances  of  the  lake  harbors  can  be  im¬ 
proved  and  economically  maintained  is  really  the  limit  of  depth  which 
should  be  fixed  for  the  shallows  of  the  connecting  waterways.  Until 
this  limit  is  reached  there  will  be  a  demand  for  deeper  waterways, 
ami  any  greater  depth  will  be  a  useless  waste  of  monejL 

The  present  depth  of  lake  harbors  is  about  17  to  20  feet,  to  main¬ 
tain  which  requires  considerable  dredging  annually. 


86 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  deeper  these  harbors  are  made  the  greater  will  be  the  distance 
into  the  lake  that  the  cutting  in  the  lake  bottom  must  be  made.  The 
effect  of  wind  and  wave  action  is  to  erode  large  amounts  of  material 
along  the  shore  and  to  generate  littoral  currents  parallel  to  the  coast, 
which  transport  the  eroded  material  until  deposited  in  quiet  water. 
The  result  is  that  deep  cuts  in  the  bed  of  the  lake  fill  up  rapidly  dur¬ 
ing  heavy  storms  and  become  more  expensive  to  maintain  as  the  depth 
of  cutting  is  increased. 

With  deep  cuts  at  harbor  entrances  it  may  be  necessary  to  protect 
the  channel  from  filling  with  j3arallel  jetties  extending  into  the  lake 
the  full  length  of  the  excavation. 

ESTIMATES. 

Intermediate  lake  channels. 


LAKE  SUPERIOR  TO  LAKE  ERIE. 

Standard  low  stage  of  Lake  Erie. 

St.  Marys  River . ... . 

Lake  Huron . . 

St.  Clair  River . - . 

Lake  St.  Clair . . . . . 

Detroit  River . 

Lake  Erie . - . . . 


Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent 
Total . . . - . 


Regulated  stage  of  Lake  Erie. 


30-foot 

channel. 

21 -foot 
channel. 

$16. 605, 685 
2,474,135 
681,943 
3. 576, 679 
13, 786, 269 
851,802 

$5, 586, 228 
359, 488 
55, 281 
827,073 
1,412,735 
53, 670 

37, 776, 513 
3, 777, 651 

8,294,475 

829,448 

41,554,164 

9. 123, 923 

St.  Marys  River 

Lake  Huron _ 

St.  Clair  River.. 
Lake  St.  Clair  .. 
Detroit  River . . 
Lake  Erie . 


15, 730, 333 
2,  176, 917 
494,385 
2, 942. 846 
8,779,431 
357,928 


4, 995, 799 
248,962 
37. 343 
317,017 
729,804 


Engineering,  superintendence,  andjcontingencies,  10  per  cent 
Total . . . . . 


LAKE  MICHIGAN  TO  LAKE  ERIE. 


30, 490, 790 
3, 049, 079 


6,328,925 
632, 893 


33, 539, 869 


6, 961, 818 


Standard  low  stage  of  Lake  Erie. 

Lake  Huron . 

St.  Clair  River . . 

Lake  St.  Clair. . . . . 

Detroit  River . 

Lake  Erie . . .  . 


Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent 
Total . . . . . . . 


Regulated  stage  of  Luke  Erie. 


2,474,135 

359,488 

681, 943 

55, 281 

3. 576, 679 

827,073 

13, 786,269 

1.412.735 

651,802 

53. 670 

21,170,828 

2, 70S.  247 

2, 117, 0S3 

270.  25 

23,287,911 

2. 979,072 

Lake  Huron. .. 
St.  Clair  River 
Lake  St.  Clair . 
Detroit  River . 
Lake  Erie . 


Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent 


2,176.917 
494,285 
2,942,846 
8, 779, 431 
357, 928 


248, 962 
37,343 
317.017 
729, 804 


14,751,407  1,333,128 

1,475,141  133.313 


Total 


16,226,548 


1, 466, 439 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


87 


COMPARISON  OF  WATERWAYS. 

The  channels  through  the  upper  lakes  and  connecting  rivers,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  short  reaches,  have  greater  surface  widths  than 
are  necessary  for  either  21  or  30  foot  waterways,  making  the  essential 
difference  in  the  lake  routes  to  be  constructed  one  of  depth;  but  for 
the  waterways  from  the  lakes  to  the  seaboard  the  dimensions  of  the 
prisms  of  the  channels  should  have  a  fixed  relation  to  the  cross  sec¬ 
tions  of  the  ships  best  adapted  to  the  traffic. 

Tiie  natural  depths  of  harbor  entrances  and  of  the  lake  channels  at 
the  foot  of  Lake  Superior,  through  the  St.  Marys  River,  Lake  St. 
Clair,  the  mouth  of  Detroit  River,  and  at  the  head  of  Lake  Erie  are 
such  that  for  waterways  more  than  21  feet  deep  excavation  will  be 
required  for  about  60  miles  along  the  route,  making  21  feet  the  limit¬ 
ing  depth  at  which  the  fixed  charges  for  maintenance  and  interest  on 
the  cost  of  construction  of  deeper  channels  will  probably  exceed  any 
returns  which  may  be  expected  from  lower  rates  of  transportation  in 
waterways  of  greater  depth.  The  rate  at  which  freight  can  be  car¬ 
ried  on  the  lakes  depends  largely  upon  the  probable  useful  life  of  the 
ships  constructed  for  the  service,  and  since  continual  changes  in  the 
dimensions  of  waterways  render  the  smaller  ships  practically  obsolete 
long  before  they  are  worn  out,  it  is  very  desirable  that  the  depths  to 
be  given  the  lake  waterways  should  be  established  and  the  improve¬ 
ments  completed  as  soon  as  possible. 

Referring  to  the  results  of  the  investigations  discussed  in  the  paper 
on  comparison  of  waterways  in  Appendix  No.  5,  it  will  be  noted  that 
for  lake  channels  of  greater  depth  than  21  feet  the  interest  on  the  cost 
of  the  improvement  will  be  much  greater  than  the  resulting  decrease 
in  the  annual  cost  of  transportation  of  the  lake  commerce  due  to  deeper 
channels,  and  that  the  project  for  the  improvement  of  lake  channels 
now  being  carried  out  contemplates  a  depth  of  21  feet  through  the 
lakes  and  connecting  waterways.  If  the  indirect  benefits  from  the 
development  of  new  industries  around  the  lakes  due  to  deeper  water¬ 
ways  are  not  greatly  in  excess  of  the  direct  benefits  to  be  derived, 
there  seems  to  be  no  legitimate  reason  why  the  channels  resulting 
from  the  project  for  a  21-foot  waterway,  when  given  a  proper  width 
and  alignment,  should  not  be  of  as  great  value  to  the  producers  of 
the  country  as  any  waterway  of  greater  depth. 

The  investigation  of  the  routes  for  a  waterway  between  Lake  Erie 
and  Lake  Ontario  indicates  that  the  Lasalle-Lewiston  line  can  be 
constructed  at  less  cost  than  the  others,  and  can  be  traversed  by  a 
type  carrier  between  points  common  to  all  the  routes  in  less  time  than 
by  the  other  routes. 

The  natural  harbor  at  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara  River  and  the 
comparatively  small  amount  of  restricted  channel  on  the  Lewiston 
line  make  it  a  better  location  on  which  to  construct  a  waterway  than 
the  route  from  Tonawanda  to  Olcott. 


88 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  route  from  Lake  Ontario  to  New  York  is  208  miles  farther  by 
the  St.  Lawrence  River,  Lake  Champlain,  and  the  Hudson  River  than 
by  the  Oswego,  Mohawk,  and  Hudson  rivers,  but  has  202  feet  less  lock¬ 
age  than  the  Mohawk  low-level  and  366  feet  less  lockage  than  the 
Mohawk  high-level  routes. 

The  length  of  standard  canal  prism  is  practically  the  same  by  each 
route,  the  difference  in  distance  being  almost  entirely  in  the  open  lake 
and  river  portions  of  the  waterways. 

The  sailing  time  for  a  type  carrier  is  12  hours  longer  for  the  Cliam- 
plain  route  than  for  the  Mohawk  route,  which  difference  is  due  to  the 
greater  time  required  to  sail  208  miles  farther  by  the  former  than  to 
make  18  more  lockages  on  the  latter. 

The  comparative  values  of  t lie  two  routes  depend  largely  upon  the 
cost  to  construct  and  maintain  the  respective  channels,  the  annual 
traffic  capacity  of  each,  and  the  time  required  for  type  carriers  to  make 
round  trips,  the  details  of  which  are  given  in  the  annexed  tables. 

The  estimated  cost  of  the  21-foot  waterway  and  the  sailing  times 
between  terminals  given  in  the  tables  are  based  on  locks  600  feet  long 
and  60  feet  wide.  If  the  locks  should  be  made  80  feet  wide  for  the 
purpose  of  passing  large  ships  from  the  lake  shipyards  to  the  Atlantic, 
the  estimated  cost  of  the  Mohawk  route  would  be  increased  84,221,000 
and  the  Champlain  route  $2,560,000,  the  annual  capacity  of  the  routes 
slightly  diminished,  and  the  time  required  for  making  round  trips 
increased. 


Table  of  distances,  alignment,  width  of  channel,  sailing  time,  and  water  levels. 

[21 -foot  channel.] 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


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Table  of  distances,  alignment ,  width  of  channel,  sailing  time ,  and  water  levels — Continued. 

[21- foot  channel.] 


90 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


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Table  of  distances,  alignment,  width  of  channel,  sailing  time,  and  water  lei'cls. 

OSWEGO-MOHAWK  ROUTE,  LOW  LEVEL. 

[21-foot  channel.] 


94 


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OSWEGO  MOHAWK  ROUTE,  LOW  LEVEL— Continued. 


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OSWEGO-MOHAWK  ROUTE,  LOW  LEVEL— Continued. 

[21-foot  channel.] 


96 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


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DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


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a  Elevations  of  water  surface  are  those  for  a  low  stage  of  rivers,  and  are  given  immediately  above  and  below  locks  unless  otherwise  noted. 


Table  of  distances,  alignment,  width  of  channel,  sailing  time,  and  water  levels — Continued. 

CHAMPLAIN  ROCTE-Oontinued. 


104 


DEE! 


WATERWAYS 


CHAMPLAIN  ROUTE— Continued. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


105 


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Table  of  distances,  alignment,  width  of  channel,  sailing  time,  and  water  levels — Continued. 

*  CHAMPLAIN  ROUTE— Continued. 

[21-foot  channel.] 


108 


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CHAMPLAIN  ROUTE— Continued. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


109 


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112 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Estimated  cost  of  excavation  and  construction. 

21-FOOT  CHANNEL. 


Duluth  to  tide  water. 

Chicago  to  tide  water. 

t  t  Lasalle-Lewis- 

tonCham-  ton-Oswego- 

nlain  route  Mohawk  low- 
plam  i  oute.  Ievel  route. 

Lasalle-Lewis- 
ton-Cham- 
plain  route. 

Lasalle-Lewis 
ton-Oswego- 
Mohawk  low- 
level  route. 

Excavation . 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and 

back  fill . . .  . 

Embankment  . . . .  . . 

Railroad  and  highway  changes . 

Right  of  way . . . .. 

Bridges  and  ferries . . 

By-passes . . . . . 

$128, 368, 611 

6, 544, 621 
1,853, 154 
707, 443 
5,551,765 
4,296,481 
43, 385 
20,396,732 
1,884,702 
1,800,000 

$105, 100,457 

10,822, 948 
155, 014 
1,560,054 
12, 478,  442 
5,392,010 

$123,372,812 

5,544,621 
1,853.154 
707, 443 
5,551, 765 
4, 296, 481 
43,385 
20. 396,  732 
1,884,702 
1,800,000 

$100, 104, 638 

10,822,948 
155, 014 
1,560,054 
12,478,442 
5,392,010 

Locks.. . . . 

Cribs  at  lock  approaches . . . 

Lock-operating  plant . 

Breakwater . . . . 

36,328.417 
5,629,389 
3, 200, 000 
721,380 
64,371 
206, 413 
3, 122,  610 
796, 923 
2,062,295 
30, 000 

36,328.417 
5, 629. 389 
3,200,000 
721,380 
64,371 
206. 413 
3,122,610 
796, 923 
2,062, 295 
30, 090 

Entrance  of  streams. . . . . . 

Dikes . . 

Dams . . 

Regulati  ng  works . . . 

W  a  ter  supply . . 

225, 096 
206,413 
551, 819 
1,687,167 

225,096 
206,413 
551, 819 
1,687,167 

Buffalo  waterworks  tunnel . 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and 
contingencies,  10  per  cent  a . 

Total . . .  . . 

30, 000 

30,000 

173, 147,389 

17,235,047 

187,670,723 

18,687,380 

168, 151,590 

16, 735, 467 

182,674,924 

18, 187, 800 

190, 382, 436 

b 206, 358, 103 

184, 887, 057 

c 200, 862,  724 

30-FOOT  CHANNEL. 

Excavation . 

Retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  and 

back  fill . . . 

Embankment . 

Railroad  and  highway  changes _ 

Right  of  way . . 

Bridges  and  ferries. . 

By-passes . . . . 

$231,874,094 

7,294,119 
1,793,961 
707, 443 
5,576, 765 
4,6:35,724 
52, 115 
32,114,558 
2,422,340 
1,900,000 

$178,970,590 

15,567,970 
157, 015 
1, 560, 054 
12,494,442 
5,947,106 

$217,601,194 

7,294,119 
1,793,961 
707,413 
5,551, 765 
4, 635,  724 
52, 115 
31,191,065 
2, 004, 350 
1,800,000 

$164,697,690 

15,567,970 
157,015 
1,560,054 
12, 469,442 
5, 947, 106 

Locks . 

Cribs  at  lock  approaches . . 

Lock-operating  plant . 

Breakwater .  .  . 

56, 975, 392 
6, 067, 266 
3, 300, 000 
1,190,317 
64,371 
206, 413 
3,122,610 
796, 923 
2,062,295 
30,000 

56, 051. 899 
5. 649, 276 
3,200,000 
1,190,317 
64. 371 
206, 413 
3,122.610 
796.923 
2, 0:>2, 295 
30,000 

Entrance  of  streams . 

Dikes . . . 

Dams . .  . 

Regulating  works . .  . 

Water  supply . 

225, 096 
206, 413 
551,819 
1, 687, 167 

225, 096 
206, 413 
551,819 
1,687, 167 

Buffalo  waterworks  tunnel . 

Engineering,  superintendence,  and 
contingencies  10  per  cent  a . 

Total . . . . 

30. 000 

30,000 

291,071,614 

29,027,469 

288,  512, 764 

28,771,584 

275.332,231 

27,453,531 

272, 773,381 

27,197.646 

320, 099, 083 

6317,284,348 

302,785,762  c  299,971,027 

a  Estimate  for  Lake  Erie  regulating  works  already  contains  cost  of  engineering,  superin¬ 
tendence,  and  contingencies. 
b  See  note,  p.  113. 
cSee  note,  p.  114. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


113 


Estimated  cost  of  divisions. 

LAKES  MICHIGAN  AND  SUPERIOR  TO  TIDE  WATER. 


30-foot  chan¬ 
nel. 

21-foot  chan¬ 
nel. 

Lake  Superior  to  Lake  Erie: 

1.  With  regulated  surface  . _ . 

$33,539,809 
41, 554, 104 

10, 220, 548 
23,287,911 

73, 435, 350 
75, 084, 453 

75, 572, 250 
77,221,353 

$0,961,818 
9,123, 923 

1,466,439 

2,979,072 

42,393,203 
43, 214,344 

48, 453, 753 
49,274,894 

2.  Without  regulated  surface  . . 

Lake  Michigan  to  Lake  Erie: 

1.  With  regulated  surface  .  . . 

2.  Without  regulated  surface  . 

Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario: 

Via  Lasalle- Lewiston  route — 

1.  Witn  regulated  surface  . . .  . _  .  .  _ 

2.  Without  regulated  surface . _ . 

Via  L’o.iawanda-Oicott  route — 

1.  With  regulated  surface  . . . .  . . 

2.  Without  regulated  surface . . . . . 

Lake  Ontario  to  tide  water: 

Via  Oswego-Mohawk  route  (high-level  plan) — 

1.  Western  division  a . _ . . 

83,395,975 
112, 474,lln 
10,383,408 

05, 076, 050 
85,488,414 
4, 159,904 

2.  Eastern  division . . . . 

3.  Hudson  River  division . 

Total  a . 

Via  Oswego-Mohawk  route  (low-level  plan) — 

1.  Western  division  a . . . . . 

2.  Eastern  division . . . . . . - 

3.  Hudson  River  division. . . 

206,253,553 

155,324,968 

87, 451,551 
112, 474.110 
10, 383, 408 

07, 354, 704 
85, 488, 414 
4, 159, 904 

Total  a .  . . . . . . . . 

210, 309, 129 

157, 003, 082 

Via  Champlain  route  (with  movable  dams) — 

1.  St.  Lawrence  division  . . - . 

35, 514, 438 
64,008,981 
103,210,977 
10, 383, 408 

21,027,113 
47,912,078 
67,927,720 
4, 159, 904 

2.  Northern  division . . . 

3.  Hudson  River  division,  upper  . . . . . 

4.  Hudson  River  division, tidal . . 

Total . . 

213, 123,804 

141,027,415 

Summary  of  cost  of  divisions. 


DULUTH  TO  TIDE  WATER. 


30-foot  chan¬ 
nel. 

21-foot  chan¬ 
nel. 

Via  Lasalle-Lewistoti  (regulated  surface): 

Oswego-Mohawk  (high-level  plan)— 

1.  Lake  Superior  to  Lake  Erie . . . 

$33,539,869 
73, 435, 350 
206, 253, 553 

$6,961,818 
42, 393, 203 
155, 324. 968 

2.  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario . 

3.  Lake  Ontario  to  tide  water  a__ . . . 

Total  a . . . . . . . . 

313,228,772  |  204,679,989 

Oswego-  Mohawk  (low-level  plan) — 

1.  Lake  Superior  to  Lake  Erie . . . 

33, 539, 869 
73, 435, 350 
210, 309. 129 

6,961.818 

42,393,203 

157,003,082 

2.  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario . . . . . . 

3.  Lake  Ontario  to  tide  water  a _ _ _ _ _ 

Total  ci _ _ _ _ _ _ 

317,284,348 

206, 358, 103 

Champlain  ( with  movable  dams) — 

1.  Lake  Superior  to  Lake  Erie . 

33, 539, 869 
73, 435, 350 
213, 123, 8*54 

6,961,818 

42,393,208 

141,027,415 

2.  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario . . . . 

3.  Lake  Ontario  to  tide  water . 

Total . . . . . . . 

320,099,083 

190,382,436 

a  Tlio  estimated  cost  of  the  Oswego-Mohawk  route  is  based  on  the  use  of  swing  or  bascule 
bridges  at  all  railroad  crossings.  If  an  overhead  railroad  crossing  be  adopted  for  the  New  York 
Central  Railroad  near  Utica,  with  a  fixed  span  over  the  waterway  at  a  clear  height  of  85  feet 
above  the  water's  surface,  the  estimated  cost  of  the  route  would  be  increased  $788,000  for  the 
low-level  project  and  $953,000  for  the  high-level  project.  With  this  modification,  the  total  esti¬ 
mated  cost  of  the  21-foot  waterway  would  be  $207,140,103  for  the  low-level  project  and  $205,032,989 
for  the  high-level  project.  For  the  30-foot  waterway,  the  corresponding  amounts  would  be 
$318,072,348  and  $314,181,772. 

II.  Doc.  149- 


•8 


114 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Summary  of  cost  of  divisions — Continued. 
CHICAGO  TO  TIDE  WATER. 


30-foot  chan¬ 
nel. 

21-foot  chan¬ 
nel. 

Via  Lasalle-Lewiston  (regulated  surface): 

Oswego  Mohawk  (high-level  plan)— 

1  Lake  Michigan  tol.ake  Erie  . . .  . 

$16,226,548 
73, 485, 350 
206, 253, 553 

$1, 466, 439 
42, 393, 203 
155, 324, 968 

2.  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario . . . . . . 

3.  Lake  Ontario  to  tide  water  ci _ - _ _ 

295, 915,451 

199, 184, 610 

Oswego-Moliawk  (low-level  plan) — 

1  Lake  Michigan  to  Lake  Erie  . .  . . . . 

16, 226, 548 
73, 4:35, 350 
210, 309, 129 

1, 466, 439 
42, 393, 203 
157,003,082 

2.  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario _ _ _ _ 

3.  Lake  Ontario  to  tide  water  a . . . 

Total  ct  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

299,971,027 

200, 862, 724 

Champlain  (with  movable  dams) — 

1.  Lake  Michigan  to  Lake  Erie  _ _ _ _ _ 

16, 226, 548 
73, 435, 350 
213, 123, 864 

1,466,439 

42,393,203 

141,027,415 

2.  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario . - . . . . 

3.  Lake  Ontario  to  tide  water . . . . . 

Total _ _ _ _ _ 

302, 785, 762 

184,887,057 

a  The  estimated  cost  of  the  Oswego-Mohawk  route  is  based  on  the  use  of  swing  or  bascule 
bridges  at  all  railroad  crossings.  If  an  overhead  railroad  crossing  be  adopted  for  the  New  York 
Central  Railroad  near  Utica,  with  a  fixed  span  over  the  waterway  at  a  clear  height  of  85  feet 
above  the  water’s  surface,  the  estimated  cost  of  the  route  would  be  increased  $788,000  for  the 
low-level  project  and  $953,000  for  the  high-level  project.  With  this  modification,  the  total  esti¬ 
mated  cost  of  the  21-foot  waterway  would  be  $201,650,724  for  the  low-level  project  and  $200,137,610 
for  the  high-level  project.  For  the  30-foot  waterway  the  corresponding  amounts  would  be 
$300,759,027  and  $296,868,451. 


THE  RELATIVE  ADVANTAGES  OE  THE  21  AND  30  FOOT  WATERWAYS. 

In  the  preceding  divisions  of  this  report  the  various  routes  surveyed 
and  investigated  by  the  Board  for  waterways  of  different  depths  from 
the  Great  Lakes  to  the  Atlantic  tide  waters  have  been  described  and 
discussed  from  a  physical  point  of  view  and  estimates  of  their  cost  of 
construction  have  been  given.  The  Board  now  submits  a  statement 
of  the  relative  advantages  of  the  21  and  30  foot  waterways,  as  required 
by  the  provisions  of  the  sundry  civil  act  of  July  1,  1808. 

The  benefits  to  be  derived  from  a  waterway  from  the  lakes  to  the 
seaboard  result  directly  from  low  rates  and  ample  facilities  for  the 
transportation  of  freight  between  the  terminals  and  from  the  develop¬ 
ment  of  new  industries  and  new  commerce.  At  the  commencement 
of  the  investigation  of  this  subject  an  effort  was  made  to  collect  sta¬ 
tistics  showing  the  effect  of  better  transportation  facilities  on  the  com¬ 
merce  of  the  country,  with  especial  reference  to  determining  whether 
the  indirect  benefits  to  the  producers  of  the  country  would  justify 
large  expenditures  in  the  increase  of  transportation  facilities  in  excess 
of  the  actual  requirements  for  the  lake  traffic.  It  was  found,  how¬ 
ever,  that  a  satisfactory  solution  of  this  problem  would  require  more 
time  and  money  than  was  at  the  disposal  of  the  Board,  and  that  the 
results,  when  obtained,  would  not  be  sufficiently  conclusive  to  war¬ 
rant  making  them  a  basis  for  estimates.  Statistics  of  lake  and  ocean 
commerce  are  collected,  arranged,  and  discussed  in  the  publications 
of  the  Bureau  of  Statistics  of  the  Treasury  Department,  and  from 
these  publications  all  the  information  can  be  obtained  which  can  be 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


115 


employed  to  advantage  in  the  investigation  of  the  problem  of  relative 
advantages  submitted  by  Congress  to  the  Board.  This  problem  is  of 
a  speculative  character,  since  it  involves  the  consideration  of  condi¬ 
tions  which  will  exist  after  a  deep  waterway  has  been  established — 
conditions  which  will  be  very  different  from  those  existing  at  the 
present  time.  The  Board  therefore  considers  it  useless  to  seek  for 
great  accuracy  and  detail  in  the  statement  of  existing  commercial 
conditions. 

An  exhaustive  study  of  the  relative  advantages  of  routes  of  differ¬ 
ent  depths  has  been  made  by  Lieut.  Col.  C.  W.  Raymond,  member  of 
the  Board  (Appendix  No.  5),  from  which  it  appears  that  the  benefits  to 
be  derived  from  the  respective  waterways  are  so  well  defined  that  fur¬ 
ther  statistical  inquiry  would  add  but  little  to  the  force  of  the  conclu¬ 
sions.  This  investigation  was  made  by  Colonel  Raymond  in  consul¬ 
tation  with  the  other  members  of  the  Board,  and  his  report  full}’ 
expresses  their  views  on  this  subject.  The  details  of  the  investiga¬ 
tion  are  given  in  Appendix  No.  5.  In  this  report  it  is  only  necessary 
to  give  an  outline  of  the  method  of  investigation  followed,  and  a 
summary  of  the  conclusions  at  which  the  Board  has  arrived. 

A  waterway  connecting  the  Great  Lakes  with  the  sea  maybe 
regarded  as  an  instrument  of  commerce  for  the  purpose  of  increasing 
the  value  of  merchandise  by  transporting  it  from  one  point  to  another. 
Waterways  of  different  dimensions  and  cost  may  be  compared  from 
this  point  of  view,  and  their  relative  direct  advantages  as  compared 
with  each  other,  and  with  the  amounts  required  for  their  construction 
may  be  approximately  determined.  Such  comparisons,  however,  are 
too  narrow  and  limited  for  a  satisfactory  solution  of  the  question  of 
relative  advantages.  Indirect  benefits  may  result  from  the  establish¬ 
ment  of  a  great  transportation  line,  which  maybe  of  such  importance 
in  their  influence  upon  production,  commerce,  and  the  general  pros¬ 
perity  of  the  people  that  the  question  of  a  greater  or  less  return  of 
direct  value  may  become  comparatively  insignificant.  Accordingly, 
the  investigation  of  the  question  of  relative  advantages  has  been  con¬ 
sidered  under  two  heads,  viz,  relative  direct  advantages,  and  relative 
indirect  advantages. 

In  determining  the  relative  direct  advantages  of  the  waterways  com¬ 
pared,  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  express  the  relations  existing 
between  the  various  elements  entering  the  problem  in  a  mathematical 
formula  from  which  may  be  obtained  numerical  quantities  represent- 
ing  approximately  the  relative  values  of  the  waterways  considered. 
These  elements  are  the  traffic  capacities  of  the  waterways,  the  costs 
of  construction  and  maintenance,  and  the  cost  of  transport  proper  in 
the  most  economical  type-carriers.  The  board  believes  this  method 
of  stating  and  discussing  the  problem  has  the  great  advantage  of 
exhibiting  clearly  the  elements  upon  which  it  depends  and  the  uncer¬ 
tainties  unavoidable  in  such  investigations. 


116 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  determination  of  relative  direct  benefit  has  been  limited  to  the 
consideration  of  through  traffic  conducted  in  the  most  economical  car¬ 
riers.  The  waterways  extend  from  Duluth  to  New  York  and  from 
Chicago  to  New  York.  For  each  route  these  lines  of  through  traffic 
are  considered  separately,  both  for  foreign  and  domestic  traffic. 

The  routes  from  Duluth  and  Chicago  to  New  York  which  are  com¬ 
pared  are  as  follows: 

1.  Thirty-foot  waterway  via  La  Salle,  Lewiston,  St.  Lawrence  River, 
and  Lake  Champlain. 

2.  Thirty-foot  waterway  via  La  Salle,  Lewiston,  and  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  high-level  plan. 

3.  Thirty-foot  waterway  via  La  Salle,  Lewiston,  and  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  low-level  plan. 

4.  Twenty-one-foot  waterway  via  La  Salle,  Lewiston,  St.  Lawrence 
River,  and  Lake  Champlain. 

5.  Twenty-one-foot  waterway  via  Lasalle,  Lewiston,  and  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  high-level  plan. 

G.  Twenty-one-foot  waterway  via  Lasalle,  Lewiston,  and  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  low-level  plan. 

The  traffic  is  supposed  to  consist  of  the  movement  of  bulky  freight, 
such  as  grain,  coal,  lumber,  and  ores,  to  domestic  and  coast  markets 
or  to  markets  beyond  the  sea.  For  each  depth  of  waterway  a  tj^pe 
carrier  is  adopted  which  is  believed  to  furnish  the  most  economical 
transportation.  The  data  for  the  comparisons  are  determined  prin¬ 
cipally  from  the  estimates  of  the  Board. 

The  formula  gives  for  each  waterway  a  measure  of  its  relative  annual 
return  of  value  upon  each  $100  expended  in  construction,  after  the 
payment  of  the  costs  of  maintenance,  operation,  and  transport  proper, 
as  compared  with  a  standard  waterway  for  which  the  return  of  value 
is  assumed  as  unity. 

The  results  obtained  by  this  method  of  investigation  are  briefly  as 
follows : 

1.  The  return  of  direct  benefit  from  the  30-foot  waterway  via  the  St. 
Lawrence  River  and  Lake  Champlain  is  less  for  both  foreign  and 
domestic  traffic  than  the  return  from  either  of  the  Mohawk  Valley 
routes.  The  two  Mohawk  Valley  waterways  give  practically  the  same 
returns. 

2.  All  the  21-foot  waterways  give  practically  the  same  return  of 
direct  benefit. 

3.  The  return  of  direct  benefit  from  the  21-foot  waterway  is  much 
greater  than  the  return  from  the  30-foot  waterway. 

In  order  to  form  an  estimate  of  the  relative  indirect  advantages  of 
the  waterways  compared  it  was  found  necessary  to  consider  the  amount 
and  character  of  the  existing  lake  traffic  and  its  past  and  probable 
future  development,  to  point  out  the  distinguishing  peculiarities  of 
transportation  lines  of  different  character  and  capacity,  and  to  indi- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


117 


cate  the  objects  which  the  proposed  waterways  are  intended  to  sub¬ 
serve.  The  following  condensed  discussion  of  these  subjects  is  taken 
from  Appendix  No.  5. 

THE  HAKE  TRAFFIC. 

The  demand  for  increased  facilities  and  diminished  rates  of  trans¬ 
portation  from  the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes  to  the  interior  of  the 
country  and  to  the  sea  is  based  upon  facts  which  are  believed  to  be 
established  by  the  history  of  the  development  of  the  productive 
resources  of  this  part  of  our  territory.  The  commodities  forming  the 
bulk  of  the  traffic  for  which  provision  is  desired  are  grain  (including 
flour),  iron  ore,  lumber,  coal,  and  manufactured  products. 

The  movement  of  the  four  leading  commodities  above  mentioned 
comprises  about  90  per  cent  of  the  total  freight  movement  on  the 
lakes.  As  will  be  shown  hereafter,  the  greater  part  of  this  traffic 
goes  to  the  domestic  markets  of  our  country,  but  still  an  important 
part  is  destined  to  foreign  markets.  The  volume  of  these  products 
has  increased  rapidly  with  every  increase  in  the  facilities  of  transpor¬ 
tation  and  with  every  permanent  decrease  in  transportation  rates. 
It  is  claimed  that  further  increase  in  facilities  and  reduction  in  rates 
is  absolutely  necessary  if  we  would  hold  our  place  in  foreign  markets 
in  competition  with  the  products  of  other  countries. 

The  following  table1  shows  for  the  year  1898  the  traffic  for  each  of 
the  four  leading  commodities  referred  to  above,  the  eastward  traffic 
(that  is,  the  traffic  east  of  Detroit),  and  the  quantities  destined  to 
domestic  and  foreign  markets,  respectively: 


Commodity. 

Total  traffic. 

Eastward  traffic. 

Total. 

Domestic. 

Export. 

Grain  (including  flour) . 

Iron  ores . - . 

Net  tons. 
12,086,013 
13, 650, 788 
4,540,000 
8, 722, 667 

Net  tons. 

12, 036, 013 
11,028,321 
2, 531.180 

Net  tons. 
2.888, 829 
11,028,321 
2,531,180 

Net  tons, 
a  9, 147, 184 

Lumber  - . . . __  . . 

Coal . . . . . 

Total, _ _ _ _ 

38,949,468 

25,595,514 

16. 448, 330 

9.147,  184 

a  Exports  from  Montreal,  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore. 


To  indicate  the  magnitude  of  the  past  development  of  this  com¬ 
merce,  it  is  only  necessary  to  say  that  the  total  lake  traffic  for  the 
year  1871  has  been  estimated  at  14,283,000  tons.  Since  that  time 
transportation  facilities  by  rail  and  water  have  been  greatly  increased, 
new  locks  around  the  falls  of  St.  Marys  River  have  been  constructed, 
the  Welland  Canal  has  been  deepened,  the  lake  harbors  and  channels 
have  been  improved,  steam  vessels  have  taken  the  place  of  sailing 

!The  figures  for  grain  (including  flour)  are  compiled  from  a  report  entitled 
“The  Grain  Trade  of  the  United  States.”  published  by  the  Bureau  of  Statistics  of 
the  Treasury  Department.  January,  1900.  The  other  figures  are  based  upon  data 
obtained  irom  the  admirable  tables  which  accompany  the  report  of  the  committee 
on  canals  of  New  York  State,  1899. 


118 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


vessels,  and  the  population  of  the  country  has  about  doubled.  These 
are  the  principal  causes  of  this  enormous  expansion  of  the  volume  of 
traffic. 

FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  LAKE  TRAFFIC. 

The  population  of  the  country  will  surely  continue  to  increase  rap¬ 
idly,  and  this  must  be  accompanied  by  an  increase  in  the  volume  of 
the  lake  traffic.  It  must  not,  however,  be  inferred  that  the  eastward 
traffic  will  develop  in  direct  proportion  to  the  increase  in  population 
of  the  country,  for  about  one-half  of  our  population  is  situated  in  the 
great  Mississippi  basin,  where  the  rate  of  increase  is  much  greater 
than  in  our  Eastern  territory.  The  future  demands  of  this  part  of  our 
country  upon  the  products  of  the  lake  region  will  doubtless  reduce 
the  relative  amount  of  Eastern  traffic.  Nevertheless  it  does  not  seem 
unreasonable  to  believe  that  the  ratio  of  demand  to  supply  will  con¬ 
tinue  to  be  as  great  as  it  is  at  the  present  time  even  should  the  facili¬ 
ties  for  transportation  be  very  largely  increased. 

It  appears  from  the  table  given  above  that  only  about  one-third  of 
the  east-bound  lake  freight  is  exported  to  foreign  countries,  the  remain¬ 
der  being  distributed  to  domestic  markets.  Practically  the  entire 
exports  of  commodities  transported  on  the  lakes  and  received  from 
the  lake  region  consists  of  grain  and  other  food  products. 

GRAIN. 

As  regards  the  future  development  of  the  production  of  grain  in  the 
region  tributary  to  the  lakes,  it  is  only  necessary  to  point  out  that  the 
rapid  increase  of  our  population  will  imperatively  demand  the  utiliza¬ 
tion  of  all  our  food-producing  areas  in  the  near  future  for  the  supply 
of  our  own  markets.  It  has  been  stated  In  Hon.  John  Hyde,  Chief 
Statistician  of  the  Agricultural  Department,  that  within  the  short 
period  of  thirty  years  more  than  the  entire  wheat  production  of  the 
country  will  be  required  for  consumption  by  our  own  people,  to  the 
entire  exclusion  of  our  export  trade.1  Even  should  this  view  not  be 
accepted  by  all,  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  ratio  of  the  export  trade 
to  the  domestic  trade  in  food  products  must  rapidly  diminish. 

IRON  ORE. 

The  movement  of  iron  ore,  which  forms  at  the  present  time  so  large 
a  proportion  of  the  lake  traffic,  is  principally  from  Lake  Superior  to 
Lake  Erie  ports,  from  which  the  ore  is  sent  by  rail  to  the  great  coal 
and  iron  region  of  which  Pittsburg  is  the  center.  As  the  undeveloped 
resources  of  the  Lake  Superior  region  are  enormous,  this  traffic  may 
increase  greatly  under  the  demands  resulting  from  increased  popula¬ 
tion.  Should  adequate  facilities  for  water  transportation  be  provided, 


’“America  and  the  wheat  problem.”  Published  in  The  Wheat  Problem,  by 
Sir  William  Crookes,  F.  R.  S. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


119 


it  is  possible  that  a  considerable  part  of  these  products  may  be  carried 
to  points  within  the  interior  of  the  State  of  New  York,  where  conven¬ 
ient  limestone  and  the  saving  in  cost  of  transportation  both  of  the 
crude  material  and  finished  product,  may  compensate  for  the  advan¬ 
tage  of  the  Pittsburg  district  in  its  greater  proximit  y  to  coke  and  coal.1 
None  of  this  ore  is  exported  at  the  present  time,  nor  is  it  probable 
that  much  of  it  ever  will  be  except  in  the  form  of  finished  material. 

LUMBER. 

Of  the  four  leading  commodities  considered,  lumber  forms  the 
smallest  proportion  of  the  lake  traffic,  and  its  movement  is  rapidly 
diminishing.  The  reasons  for  this  rapid  decrease  are  fully  and  clearly 
stated  by  Prof.  George  G.  Tunnell  in  his  able  report  on  lake  com¬ 
merce.2  It  is  largely  due  to  the  destruction  of  the  forests  on  the 
shores  of  the  lakes  and  on  the  banks  of  the  tributary  streams.  Lum¬ 
ber  is  now  principally  obtained  at  points  so  far  in  the  interior  that  it 
is  generally  cheaper  to  saw  logs  at  local  mills  and  transport  the  product 
by  rail  than  to  carry  or  float  them  to  the  water  and  transship  them. 
Moreover,  there  is  a  strong  and  increasing  competition  in  Northern 
markets  from  Southern  lumber.  The  exports  of  lumber  from  the  lake 
region  are  now  insignificant,  and  they  must  cease  in  the  near  future,  as 
much  more  than  our  entire  product  will  soon  be  needed  for  our  own 
people. 

COAL. 

The  total  volume  of  eastward  traffic  on  the  lakes  greatly  exceeds 
that  of  the  westward  traffic.  The  lake  movement  of  coal,  which  is 
entirely  westward,  is  therefore  of  great  importance,  not  only  because 
it  supplies  the  necessities  of  the  territory  west  and  north  of  Lakes 
Michigan  and  Superior,  but  also  because  it  furnishes  a  return  freight 
for  the  lake  carriers.  Professor  Tunnell  states  that  during  1896  coal 
constituted  about  three-fourths  of  the  westbound  traffic  through  the 
Detroit  River  and  86  per  cent  of  the  westbound  traffic  through  the 
St.  Marys  Falls  Canal. 

Most  of  this  material  is  shipped  from  the  ports  of  Lake  Erie  to 
Duluth  and  Superior,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior,  and  to  Chicago 
and  Milwaukee,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan,  the  shipments  to  Lake 
Superior  being  much  greater  than  those  to  Lake  Michigan,  as  in  the 
latter  case  the  conditions  are  more  favorable  for  railway  competition. 

At  the  present  time  none  of  the  coal  transported  on  the  lakes  is 
sent  to  markets  beyond  sea,  but  if  a  deep  waterway  to  the  seacoast 
were  constructed  it  would  probably  become  an  important  factor  in 
our  export  traffic. 


1  Report  of  Committee  on  Canals  of  New  York  State,  1899,  p.  15. 

-Document  No.  377,  House  of  Representatives,  Fifty-fifth  Congress,  second 


session. 


120 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


SUMMARY. 

To  summarize  the  above  statements,  the  freight  traffic  of  the  Great 
Lakes,  already  amounting  to  at  least  40,000,000  tons  per  year,1  may 
be  expected  to  increase  greatly  and  rapidly  with  increase  of  popula¬ 
tion  and  the  extension  and  cheapening  of  facilities  for  transportation, 
but  this  traffic  will  tend  more  and  more  to  domestic  markets  and  less 
and  less  to  foreign  ones. 

CHARACTERISTICS  OF  TRANSPORTATION  LINES. 

These  conditions  appear  to  fully  justify  the  establishment  of  new 
facilities  for  transportation  from  the  lakes  to  the  sea  either  by  the 
General  Government  or  by  State  or  private  enterprise.  At  the  pres¬ 
ent  time  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  traffic  between  lake  and  ocean 
is  by  railway,  only  about  one  twenty-fifth  of  the  volume  transported 
going  by  canal  and  river.  If  a  new  line  for  water  transportation  is 
to  be  established  it  must  be  done  by  the  General  or  State  govern¬ 
ments,  not  only  on  account  of  the  great  expenditure  involved,  but  also 
because  such  a  line  is  not  so  desirable  for  private  ownership  and 
operation  as  a  railway  upon  which  the  carrier  business  can  be  monopo¬ 
lized  by  the  owner,  and  therefore  it  probably  would  not  be  constructed 
by  private  enterprise.  In  order  that  the  consequences  involved  in 
the  proposed  change  of  the  greater  part  of  the  traffic  from  rail  to 
water  transportation  maybe  clearly  understood,  the  principal  charac¬ 
teristics  of  railways  and  waterways  considered  as  instruments  of 
commerce  for  the  transportation  of  freight  must  now  be  pointed  out. 

It  is  frequently  asserted  that  water  transportation  is  always  much 
cheaper  than  transportation  by  rail;  but  this  statement  can  not  be 
accepted  without  qualification.  If  it  is  intended  to  mean  that  the  cost 
of  transport  proper  is  generally  less  in  the  case  of  the  waterway  than 
in  the  case  of  the  railway,  the  statement  is  doubtless  true;  but  if  the 
toll  is  included  in  the  cost  of  transport  for  the  waterway  as  well  as  for 
the  railway,  the  cost  of  transportation  will  be  often  less  for  the  railway 
than  for  the  waterway,  when  the  latter  is  an  artificial  channel  of  mod¬ 
erate  dimensions. 

As  a  line  of  communication  between  the  same  terminals,  the  railway 
is,  for  obvious  reasons,  almost  always  shorter  than  t he  water  line. 
Moreover,  it  carries  passengers,  and  a  considerable  part  of  its  freight 
is  of  large  value  in  proportion  to  its  bulk.  The  passengers  and  high- 
class  freight  are  made  to  bear  a  large  proportion  of  the  mean  cost  of 
transportation.  A  distinguished  authority 2  on  this  subject  finds  from 

1  The  registered  tonnage  of  the  lake  traffic  for  1898,  as  given  in  the  report  of 
the  New  York  State  committee  on  canals,  is  62,023,000.  A  large  percentage  of 
this  is  the  registered  tonnage  of  passenger  steamers. 

•  C.  Colson,  tnghiieur  des  Ponts  et  Chaussees,  Maitre  des  Requetes  au  Conseil 
d'Etat.  Transports  et  Tarifs,  Paris,  1890. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


121 


a  study  of  experience  on  French  railways  and  waterways  that  between 
two  given  points  the  mean  net  cost  of  transportation  by  rail  is  gen¬ 
erally  lower  than  the  cost  of  transportation  by  water;  but  it  must 
be  remembered  that  the  canals  of  France  are  of  small  dimensions  and 
not  well  adapted  to  economical  traffic.  In  short,  no  general  rule  on 
this  subject  can  be  laid  down.  Each  case  must  be  separately  investi¬ 
gated  and  the  relative  economical  advantages  of  the  rail  and  waterway 
must  be  determined  in  accordance  with  the  existing  special  conditions. 
Even  then  it  is  not  easy  to  make  a  satisfactory  comparison,  owing  to 
characteristic  differences  in  the  methods  of  conducting  transportation 
by  the  two  lines.  Generally  the  railroad  carries  passengers  and  a 
great  variety  of  high-class  as  well  as  low-class  freight,  so  that  it  is 
exceedingly  difficult  to  determine  the  average  cost  of  transportation 
of  any  assumed  freight  unit. 

One  of  the  most  important  differences  between  the  railway  and  the 
waterway  arises  from  the  fact  that  in  the  case  of  the  former  the  pro¬ 
prietor  of  the  line  and  depots  for  receiving  and  shipping  freight  and 
the  carrier  are  one  and  the  same  party,  while  in  the  case  of  the  latter 
these  interests  are  generally  in  different  hands.  It  results  from  this 
that  railway  service  is  much  more  regular  and  efficient  than  water 
service,  because  it  is  under  a  centralized  management. 

The  skill  and  efficiency  with  which  the  railway  service  is  managed 
and  improved  and  the  lack  of  improvement  and  efficient  management 
in  canal  transportation  have  often  been  pointed  out,  but  it  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  observed  that  these  differences  are  largely  inherent 
in  the  different  character  of  the  organizations  of  the  two  services.  The 
management  of  the  railway  is  as  much  interested  in  the  shipping,  re¬ 
ceiving,  and  movement  of  the  traffic  as  in  the  toll,  while  in  the  case  of 
the  waterway  each  interest  is  concerned  with  the  others  only  so  far  as 
may  appear  to  be  for  its  own  direct  benefit. 

In  the  case  of  waterways  of  small  dimensions  delays  are  more  lia¬ 
ble  to  occur  from  accidents  and  crowding  than  in  the  case  of  the  rail¬ 
way.  The  railway,  when  compared  with  the  small  waterway,  has  gen¬ 
erally  the  great  advantage  of  speed,  which  secures  for  it  all  the  traffic 
in  which  time  of  transport  is  an  element  of  importance. 

Finally,  the  railway  is  available  for  traffic  during  the  whole  year, 
while  the  waterway  must  be  closed  during  the  season  of  ice. 

M.  Colson  remarks  that  experience  shows  that  generally  these 
advantages  of  the  railway  cause  it  to  be  preferred  for  merchandise  of 
moderate  value  when  the  rates  do  not  exceed  those  of  water  trans¬ 
portation  by  more  than  20  per  cent.1  This  deduction,  however,  is 
doubtless  based  upon  a  study  of  the  traffic  upon  the  railways  and 
small  canals  of  France. 

The  net  cost  of  transportation  upon  the  waterways  herein  consid¬ 
ered,  for  both  domestic  and  foreign  traffic,  would  of  course  be  very 


1  Tarifs  et  Transports,  p.  310. 


122 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


much  smaller  than  on  a  railway  or  combined  lake  and  railway  line, 
even  should  the  toll  be  included.  Moreover,  it  is  important  that  the 
facilities  provided  for  increased  traffic  movement  should  be  fully  ade¬ 
quate  to  meet  all  possible  future  demands,  and  the  waterways  have  a 
traffic  capacity  exceeding  that  which  could  be  furnished  by  railways 
at  the  same  cost.  The  total  freight  tonnage  of  the  New  York  Central 
and  Hudson  River  Railroad  in  1S98  was  23,403,439  tons,  which  is 
much  less  than  the  maximum  traffic  capacity  of  the  21-foot  waterway. 

An  important  advantage  of  the  waterway  over  the  railway  results 
from  the  characteristic  feature  of  its  organization  which  has  been 
already  pointed  out — that  the  various  interests  of  line  manager, 
freight  shipper  and  receiver,  and  carrier  are  in  different  and  inde¬ 
pendent  hands.  The  maximum  amount  of  benefit  is  derived  from 
the  traffic  by  the  users  of  the  line  (or  general  public)  when  the  toll 
and  transport  proper  are  made  as  small  as  possible.  In  the  case  of  a 
railway,  where  the  entire  system  is  controlled  by  a  single  manage¬ 
ment,  the  natural  effort  is  to  obtain  for  the  proprietor  and  carrier  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  value  derived  from  the  traffic — in  other  words, 
to  make  the  traffic  pay  what  it  will  bear.  In  the  case  of  a  large  water¬ 
way  open  to  the  use  of  all  carriers,  the  element  of  free  competition 
regulates  the  rate  of  transport  proper,  and  under  the  circumstances 
the  charge  for  transportation  must  tend  to  approximate  the  net  cost. 

But  it  is  not  merely  from  the  reduction  of  rates  that  benefit  is 
derived.  One  of  the  most  injurious  effects  of  the  lack  of  free  com¬ 
petition  in  railway  traffic  has  been  the  variation  of  rates  through  a 
wide  range,  resulting  from  alternate  competition  and  combination  of 
transportation  lines.  It  has  been  found  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to 
control  these  variations  by  law,  but  the  influence  of  a  large  water¬ 
way,  open  to  the  use  of  all  carriers,  could  not  fail  to  prevent  large 
fluctuations  in  railway  charges  upon  bulky  freight  during  the  season 
of  its  operation. 

It  has  already  been  pointed  out  that  this  characteristic  feature  of 
waterways  is  a  disadvantage  so  far  as  regards  regularity  of  service 
and  efficiency  of  management,  and  this  is  one  reason  why  it  may  be 
considered  desirable  for  the  Government  to  own  and  manage  the 
waterway  and  assume  the  toll.  Under  these  circumstances  the  pub¬ 
lic  will  receive  all  the  benefit  derived  from  the  traffic,  after  the  car¬ 
rier  has  been  paid  his  charges,  and  these  charges  will  be  kept  from 
large  fluctuation  and  near  the  net  cost  of  transport  by  the  action  of 
free  competition.  It  would,  at  first  sight,  seem  unfair  for  the  Govern¬ 
ment  to  assume  the  toll  on  one  transportation  line  to  enable  it  to  com¬ 
pete  to  advantage  with  other  lines  constructed  and  operated  by  its 
own  citizens,  but  it  is  claimed  that  the  increased  demand  for  a  higher 
class  of  freight  created  by  the  business  and  prosperity  which  would 
inevitably  follow  the  construction  of  a  great  waterway  would  more 
than  compensate  the  railways  for  the  loss  of  the  low-class  traffic.  It 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


123 


would  not  be  to  the  public  interest  to  have  the  high-class  traffic 
diverted  from  the  railways  to  the  waterways,  but  high-class  freight 
is  package  freight,  not  readily  handled  by  mechanical  devices,  and 
therefore  not  likely  to  go  by  water. 

This  characteristic  feature  of  water  transportation  controls  not  only 
the  movement  of  the  freight,  but  also  its  shipment  and  delivery.  In 
the  ease  of  the  railway,  stations  are  established  at  which  freight  must 
be  handled  under  the  direction  of  the  management.  In  the  case  of 
the  waterway,  every  point  upon  its  banks  is  a  possible  station.  The 
result  must  be  an  active  competition,  which  must  control  and  cheapen 
the  cost  of  handling  and  develop  points  of  shipment  and  delivery  best 
suited  to  economical  receipt  and  distribution. 

It  is  claimed  as  a  great  advantage  of  waterways  of  sufficient  dimen¬ 
sions  for  navigation  by  ships  that  they  permit  of  the  transport  of  the 
cargo  through  to  domestic  or  foreign  ports  without  transfer  from  one 
carrier  to  another,  thus  saving  the  time  and  cost  of  handling  and  loss 
by  waste.  This  is  an  advantage  of  the  ship  canal  as  compared  with 
the  barge  canal  of  moderate  dimensions  as  well  as  with  the  railway. 
It  is,  however,  considered  by  high  authorities  very  doubtful  whether 
a  vessel  can  be  so  constructed  as  to  navigate  successfully  and  econom¬ 
ically  the  ocean,  the  lakes,  and  the  canal.  The  ocean  vessel  must  be 
stronger  than  the  lake  vessel  and  more  costly  in  construction,  opera¬ 
tion,  and  maintenance,  and  it  must  be  fitted  with  expensive  appli¬ 
ances  which  are  not  required  in  the  lake  traffic.  In  considering  this 
question,  it  must  be  remembered  that  under  existing  conditions  the 
lake  vessel  is  compelled  to  be  idle  during  about  one-third  of  the  year, 
while  if  it  had  free  access  to  the  sea  and  were  constructed  for  foreign 
or  coast  navigation,  it  could  be  earning  money  all  the  year  round. 

Mr.  K  irby  estimates  the  cost  of  our  type  vessel  No.  1  (see  Appendix 
No.  5),  when  designed  for  lake  and  ocean  business,  at  1387,000,  and 
when  designed  for  lake  business  only,  at  $360,000.  The  daily  cost  of 
maintenance  and  operation,  including  5  per  cent  on  first  cost,  is  in  the 
first  case  $331,  and  in  the  second  $404.  Such  a  vessel,  when  designed 
for  lake  and  ocean  business,  could  carry  a  full  cargo  from  Duluth  or 
Chicago  to  New  York,  and,  owing  to  the  additional  buoyancy  of  sea 
water,  then  take  on  all  the  coal  required  for  the  ocean  voyage  without 
overloading. 

The  benefit  to  commerce  which  would  result  from  giving  access  to 
shipping  from  the  lakes  to  the  sea,  thus  rescuing  the  lake  fleet  from 
enforced  idleness  during  one-third  of  the  year,  would,  of  course,  be 
enormous,  if  the  problem  of  constructing  a  vessel  economically  adapted 
to  both  kinds  of  service  can  be  satisfactorily  solved.  This  is  a  benefit 
which  is  peculiar  to  the  waterway  and  can  not  be  derived  from  the 
extension  of  railway  facilities. 

It  is  further  stated  that  if  adequate  water  communication  with  the 
sea  were  provided,  a  great  industry  in  the  construction  of  steel  ships 


124 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


would  be  immediately  developed  on  the  lakes.  This  industry  is 
already  an  important  one,  no  less  than  1,258  vessels  having  been  con¬ 
structed  at  the  lake  ports  during  the  last  ten  years ;  but  as  there  is 
no  access  to  the  sea  for  vessels  of  more  than  about  13  feet  draft,  the 
business  is  almost  exclusively  confined  to  the  construction  of  ships 
for  the  Lake  service. 

It  is  claimed  that  nowhere  in  the  world  are  the  conditions  for  the 
economical  construction  of  steel  vessels  more  favorable  than  at  some 
of  the  lake  ports.  Cleveland,  for  example,  is  the  center  of  a  great 
iron  and  steel  manufacture.  It  is  farther  from  the  coke-producing 
district  than  Pittsburg,  but  this  disadvantage  is  counterbalanced  by 
its  advantage  of  receiving  ores  by  direct  and  cheap  water  transporta¬ 
tion.  The  opening  of  a  deep  waterway  to  the  sea  would  enable  the 
shipyards  of  the  lakes  to  compete  with  those  of  the  seacoast  in  the 
construction  of  vessels  for  the  ocean  traffic. 

Finally,  the  argument  has  often  been  advanced  that  a  deep  water¬ 
way  connecting  the  lakes  with  the  sea  would  be  of  great  military  value 
in  connection  with  the  defense  of  the  northern  frontier  of  the  country. 
Such  a  waterway  would  enable  ships  of  war  to  pass  between  the  sea 
and  t lie  lakes,  and  it  would  also  permit  the  economical  construction 
of  such  vessels  at  the  lake  shipyards. 

The  preceding  brief  statement  of  commercial  and  transportation  con¬ 
ditions  and  of  the  benefits  which  may  be  expected  to  result  from  the 
establishment  of  a  dee})  waterway  from  the  lakes  to  the  sea  is  intended 
only  as  a  basis  for  the  comparison  of  the  relative  advantages  and  dis¬ 
advantages  of  the  21-foot  and  30-foot  waterways.  Under  the  provi¬ 
sions  of  law  it  is  not  the  duty  of  the  Board  to  report  upon  the  general 
question  as  to  whether  the  requirements  of  commerce  justify  the  con¬ 
struction  of  a  deep  waterway  at  the  expense  of  the  General  Govern¬ 
ment,  or  to  compare  the  advantages  of  such  a  waterway  with  those  of 
one  with  moderate  dimensions  requiring  transfers  of  freight  at  both 
its  terminals.  Nevertheless,  before  making  t lie  comparison  required 
by  law,  it  seems  desirable  to  invite  attention  to  two  important  points. 

The  first  point  is  that  if  any  project  is  undertaken  by  the  Govern¬ 
ment  it  should  be  fully  adequate  to  the  present  and  future  purposes 
which  it  is  intended  to  subserve.  It  has  been  remarked  by  a  distin¬ 
guished  authority  that  the  life  of  any  public  work  is  practically  coin¬ 
cident  with  that  of  the  generation  which  began  it.  This  is  especially 
true  in  a  country  like  our  own,  where  population  increases  and  com¬ 
merce  develops  with  amazing  rapidity.  The  reason  why  it  is  true  is 
because,  in  the  construction  of  such  works,  future  necessities  are 
almost  invariably  underestimated.  For  example,  the  first  canal  and 
locks  at  St.  Marys  Falls  were  completed  in  1855  at  a  cost  of  about 
$1,000,000.  To  meet  the  necessities  of  the  increasing  traffic,  a  new  and 
much  larger  lock  and  canal  were  commenced  in  1870  and  completed  in 
1881  at  a  cost  of  $2,171,000,  including  canal  enlargement.  This  was 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


125 


soon  found  to  be  insufficient  for  the  requirements  of  the  lake  naviga¬ 
tion,  and  still  another  and  larger  lock  was  commenced  in  1887  and 
completed  in  1896  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,700,000,  including  also  canal 
enlargement.  The  volume  of  the  lake  traffic  has  so  greatly  increased 
that  at  the  present  time  the  construction  of  a  new  lock  is  under  con¬ 
sideration.  In  1870,  no  one  could  have  been  bold  enough  to  suggest 
the  construction  of  a  lock  of  the  size  and  cost  of  the  Poe  lock  recently 
completed;  and  yet,  if  such  a  lock  had  been  then  constructed,  the 
results  would  have  been  a  large  saving  to  the  Government  and  a  great 
benefit  to  the  commercial  interests  of  the  Lakes. 

It  is  therefore  of  the  highest  importance  that  any  waterway  con¬ 
structed  by  the  Government  should  be  fully  capable  of  meeting  every 
possible  commercial  demand  which  may  arise  in  the  future.  A  lack 
of  capacity  for  future  commerce  might  necessitate  its  entire  recon¬ 
struction  at  enormous  cost,  and  require  an  adaptation  of  vessels  and 
traffic  to  new  conditions  involving  great  loss  to  commercial  interests. 

The  second  point  is  that  any  project  undertaken  by  the  Government 
should  be  of  a  national  and  not  of  a  local  character,  benefiting  many 
and  varied  commercial  interests  and  exerting  its  influence  over  as 
great  an  extent  of  the  country  as  possible.  It  is  easily  conceivable 
that  a  barge  canal  of  moderate  dimensions,  requiring  transfers  at 
Buffalo  and  New  York,  might  be  of  more  direct  benefit  to  the  State 
of  New  York  than  a  canal  of  sufficient  dimensions  for  the  uninter¬ 
rupted  passage  of  ships;  but  much  of  this  benefit  would  be  at  the 
expense  of  the  producers  and  shippers  of  other  parts  of  the  country. 
Moreover,  with  such  a  canal  the  large  interests  of  shipbuilding  and 
winter  traffic  for  the  lake  fleet  would  be  unprovided  for. 

It  appears  from  the  investigations  of  the  Board  that  the  most  favor¬ 
able  route  for  a  30-foot  waterway  from  the  Lakes  to  the  sea  is  from 
Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  via  Lasalle  and  Lewiston,  and  from  Lake 
Ontario  to  the  Hudson  River  via  Oswego  and  the  Mohawk  Valley, 
on  the  low  level  plan,  and  that  the  same  route  is  practically  as  favor¬ 
able  as  any  for  the  21-foot  waterway.  This  route  is  entirely  in  our 
own  country  and  has  a  longer  season  of  navigation  than  the  more 
northerly  line.  The  problem  of  its  defense  is,  of  course,  much  simpler 
than  it  would  be  were  a  part  of  it  in  a  foreign  country,  and  it  is  avail¬ 
able  as  a  line  of  communication  for  ships  of  war.  In  the  following 
comparison  of  the  21-foot  and  30-foot  waterways,  this  route  will  alone 
be  considered. 

COST  OF  CONSTRUCTION. 

The  estimated  cost  of  the  21-foot  waterway  on  the  low-level  plan  is 
$206, 358,000 ;  the  estimated  cost  of  the  30-foot  waterway  is  $317,284,500, 
to  which  should  be  added  about  $9,607,500  for  the  necessary  deepen¬ 
ing  of  the  harbors  at  Duluth  and  Chicago,  making  the  total  cost 
$326,892,000. 


DEEP  WAT  EE  WAYS. 


126 


COST  OF  MAINTENANCE  AND  OPERATION. 

The  annual  cost  of  maintenance  and  operation  is  estimated  at 
$2,343,478  for  the  21-foot  waterway,  and  $2,930,308  for  the  30-foot 
waterway. 

COST  OF  TRANSPORT  PROPER. 


The  theoretical  cost  of  moving  the  freight  unit,  exclusive  of  toll, 
from  one  terminal  to  the  other  on  the  lines  considered,  is  given  in  the 
following  table: 


Route,  New  York 
to— 

21-foot  waterway. 

30-foot  waterway. 

Domestic. 

Foreign. 

Domestic. 

Foreign. 

Total 

cost. 

Cost  per 
ton  mile. 

Total 

cost. 

Cost  per 
ton-mile. 

Total 

cost. 

Cost  per 
ton-mile. 

Total 

cost. 

Cost  per 
ton-mile. 

Duluth . 

Chicago . . 

Mean  . _ 

Cents. 

45.2 

42.3 

Mills. 

0.31 

.31 

Cents. 

70.2 

67.3 

Mills. 

0.48 

.49 

Cents. 
45.  4 
42.7 

Mills. 

0. 31 
.31 

Cents. 

40.9 

38.2 

Mills. 

0.28 

.28 

.310 

.  485 

. 

.310 

.280 

It  must  be  remembered  that  these  values  are  purely  theoret  ical,  and 
are  not  given  as  the  probable  freight  rates;  but  they  are  believed  to 
be  proportional  to  the  latter,  and  may,  therefore,  be  taken  as  relative 
measures  of  the  cost  of  transport  proper  for  the  waterways  compared. 

The  table  shows  that  the  cost  of  transport  proper  on  the  21-toot 
waterway  is  about  the  same  for  domestic  traffic  as  on  the  30-foot  water¬ 
way.  For  foreign  traffic  the  30-foot  waterway  shows  a  much  lower 
cost  of  transport  than  the  21-foot  waterway. 

TRAFFIC  CAPACITY. 

The  maximum  annual  traffic  capacity  of  the  21 -foot  waterway  (when 
the  single-lift  locks  are  duplicated)  is  estimated  at  30,608,000  net  tons, 
and  that  of  the  30-foot  waterway  at  35,180,000  net  tons,  the  traffic  on 
the  smaller  waterway  being  greater  than  that  on  the  larger  one,  owing 
to  difference  in  time  expended  in  lockage.  It  should,  however,  be 
remarked  that  with  smaller  locks  properly  proportioned  for  the  most 
economical  type  carrier  the  traffic  capacity  of  the  larger  waterway 
would  be  somewhat  increased. 


SPEED. 


The  average  speed  on  the  21-foot  waterway  is  10.67  miles  per  hour. 
The  average  speed  on  the  30-foot  waterway  is  10  miles  per  hour. 

ADAPTABILITY  TO  TRAFFIC  CONDITIONS. 

Our  vessel  No.  1,  which  is  the  type  vessel  adopted  for  the  21-foot 
waterway,  has  a  draft  of  19  feet  and  can  enter  all  the  important  lake 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


127 


harbors  as  well  as  navigate  along  the  seacoast.  It  is,  therefore,  mnch 
better  adapted  to  domestic  traffic  than  vessel  No.  2,  the  type  vessel 
for  the  30-foot  waterway,  since  the  latter  has  a  draft  of  27  feet  and 
can  not  enter  the  lake  harbors.  The  smaller  vessel  is  not  so  well 
adapted  to  deep-sea  navigation  as  the  larger  one. 

REGULARITY  OF  SERVICE. 

In  the  30-foot  waterway  navigation  would  be  freer  and  for  smaller 
vessels  a  little  more  rapid  than  in  the  21-foot  waterway,  and  there 
would  be  less  danger  of  delay  from  accidents  and  crowding.  The 
time  required  for  vessel  No.  1  to  make  a  single  trip  from  Duluth  to 
New  York  on.  the  30-foot  waterway  is  six  days  and  three  hours,  while 
the  same  journey  on  the  21-foot  waterway  would  require  two  hours 
longer. 

INFLUENCE  ON  RAILWAY  RATES. 

As  both  waterways  furnish  low  rates  for  large  traffic  volumes,  there 
seems  to  be  little  choice  between  them  in  this  respect. 

OUTLET  FOR  THE  LAKE  FLEET. 

Even  should  a  30-foot  waterway  be  established  between  the  lakes 
and  the  sea,  it  is  probable  that  the  number  of  vessels  of  large  draft 
in  the  lake  service  would  be  comparatively  small,  since  such  vessels 
could  not  enter  most  of  the  lake  harbors  and  would  be  adapted  only  to 
through  and  principally  foreign  traffic.  The  21-foot  waterway  would, 
therefore,  be  practically  as  good  as  the  30-foot  waterway  as  a  means 
of  access  to  the  sea  for  the  lake  fleet. 

ROUTE  FOR  SHIPS  OF  WAR. 

In  the  very  improbable  event  of  a  war  with  Great  Britain  every  large 
ship  of  war  possessed  by  this  country  would  be  required  on  the  high  sea. 
Such  vessels  would  be  unnecessary  on  the  lakes,  since  the  greatest 
depth  of  the  Canadian  waterways  is  only  14  feet.  For  purposes  of 
naval  defense  the  21-foot  waterway  appears  to  offer  ample  facilities. 

SHIPBUILDING. 

The  30-foot  waterway  would  enable  the  shipbuilders  of  the  lakes 
to  construct  seagoing  vessels  of  the  largest  size,  both  for  commercial 
and  naval  purposes.  With  the  21-foot  waterway  this  industry  must 
be  restricted  to  the  construction  of  vessels  of  not  too  great  dimensions 
to  pass  the  locks.  If  the  width  of  the  locks  were  made  greater  than 
is  necessary  for  the  type  carrier,  ships  of  larger  size  could  be  floated 
from  the  lake  shipyards  to  the  seaboard  when  light.  This  would 
increase  the  cost  of  the  canal  and  diminish  its  traffic  capacity. 


128 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


CONCLUSION. 

As  the  result  of  this  investigation,  it  appears  that  the  21-foot,  water¬ 
way  promises  a  much  greater  return  of  value  relatively  to  its  cost 
than  the  30-foot  waterway.  The  main  advantages  of  the  30-foot 
waterway  are  that  it  would  furnish  the  lowest  cost  of  transport  proper 
to  foreign  markets  and  permit  the  construction  of  the  largest  seagoing 
vessels  on  the  lakes. 

The  Board  desires  to  express  its  obligations  and  thanks  to  the 
Canadian  government  for  permitting  surveys  to  be  made  within 
Canadian  territory,  and  to  the  Montreal  harbor  commission  for  facili¬ 
ties  extended  for  examining  the  Canadian  canals.  Thanks  are  due  to 
many  Canadian  engineers  for  their  cordial  cooperation  and  assistance. 
Among  these,  the  Board  is  especially  indebted  to  Messrs.  Thomas  C. 
Kiefer,  John  Kennedy,  Ernst  Marceau,  Thomas  Monro,  T.  S.  Rubidge, 
and  J.  G.  Macklin  for  courtesies  and  valuable  information. 

The  Board  desires  to  express  its  sincere  thanks  to  Brig.  Gen.  John 
M.  Wilson,  Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army,  and  to  the  officers 
of  the  Engineer  Department  in  Washington,  for  their  courteous  assist¬ 
ance  during  the  entire  progress  of  the  work.  Its  thanks  are  also  due 
to  Lieut.  Col.  G.  -J.  Lydecker,  Corps  of  Engineers;  Mr.  Joseph  Ripley, 
superintendent  of  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal;  Professors  E.  A.  Fuertes 
and  G.  S.  Williams,  of  Cornell  University;  Mr.  Frank  E.  Kirby  and 
Mr.  Edwin  S.  Cramp,  marine  engineers;  the  Detroit  Bridge  and  Iron 
Works,  and  the  United  States  Coast  and  Geological  Surveys. 

The  Board  wishes  to  express  its  high  appreciation  of  the  ability, 
faithfulness,  and  efficiency  of  its  secretary  and  of  the  assistant  engi¬ 
neers  in  charge  of  the  various  divisions  of  the  work,  whose  reports 
are  appended  hereto.  Special  mention  should  be  made  of  Mr.  James 
II.  Brace,  who  has  efficiently  filled  the  important  position  of  principal 
assistant  engineer  during  the  preparation  of  this  report,  since  his 
name  does  not  appear  elsewhere  as  in  charge  of  responsible  work. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

C.  W.  Raymond, 

Lieutenant- Colonel,  Corps  of  Engineers. 

Alfred  Noble. 

Geo.  Y.  Wisner. 

Hon.  Eljhu  Root, 

Secretary  of  War. 


^EEEISHDXXES 


Appendix  No.  1. 

LOCKS. 

One  of  the  most  strongly  marked  features  of  recent  navigation,  both 
on  the  ocean  and  the  Great  Lakes,  has  been  the  steady  increase  in  size 
of  ships.  The  most  accessible  record  relating  to  the  Great  Lakes  is 
that  of  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal.  During  the  year  ending  June  30, 
1882,  there  were  4,384  passages  by  registered  vessels,  with  a  total  net 
registered  tonnage  for  the  year  of  2,3711,216,  or  an  average  of  543  tons 
per  passage.  During  the  calendar  year  of  1891  the  average  was  862 
tons  per  passage;  in  1899  the  average  was  1,146  tons,  an  increase  of 
more  than  100  per  cent  in  seventeen  years. 

Although  these  figures  show  the  rate  of  increase  in  registered  ton¬ 
nage,  they  do  not  give  an  accurate  idea  of  the  character  of  that 
change.  While  it  lias  been  on  the  whole  a  continuous  increase,  it 
has  been  greatest  when  large  additions  were  made  to  the  navigable 
depth  of  water  in  the  principal  lake  harbors  and  in  the  channels  con¬ 
necting  the  lakes.  In  1870  freight  through  the  canal  was  carried 
mainly  in  sailing  vessels  of  300  to  400  tons  net  register,  carrying  car¬ 
goes  of  600  to  700  tons  on  11  to  12  feet  of  water,  which  was  then  the 
limiting  depth.  During  the  next  eleven  years  the  deepening  of  the 
harbors  and  connecting  channels  to  16  feet  at  mean  stage  was  in 
progress,  but  was  not  available  until  the  opening  of  the  Weitzel  lock, 
in  1881.  This  period  was  marked  by  the  introduction  of  freight 
steamships,  each  towing  one  to  three  sailing  barges.  The  net  regis¬ 
ter  of  these  ships  was  in  most  cases  less  than  1,000  tons,  but  a  few 
were  built  of  about  1,500  tons.  In  anticipation  of  the  opening  of 
deeper  waterways,  the  new  ships  were  designed  to  draw  14  to  15  feet 
when  fully  loaded. 

With  the  opening  of  the  Weitzel  lock  the  building  of  small  sailing 
ships  was  checked,  and  after  four  or  five  years  ceased  almost  entirely. 
The  old  ships  became  comparatively  unprofitable,  and  during  sea¬ 
sons  of  low  freight  rates  many  were  put  out  of  commission.  The 
building  of  a  larger  class  of  ships  of  from  800  to  1,700  tons  net  regis¬ 
ter  was  taken  up,  and  they  carried  a  constantly  increasing  proportion 
of  freight. 

The  Canadian  lock  was  opened  in  1895  and  the  Poe  lock  in  1896, 
with  a  depth  of  20  to  21  feet  on  the  sills.  As  in  the  case  of  the  Weit- 
II.  Doc.  149 - 9  129 


130 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


zel  lock,  the  increased  draft  had  been  to  some  extent  anticipated  by 
the  building  of  ships  which  could  not  be  fully  loaded  on  a  draft  of  16 
feet.  Several  exceeded  2,000  tons  net  register,  and  a  few  exceeded 
2,500.  These  ships  were  designed  to  carry  about  twice  the  register, 
but  up  to  the  end  of  1804  the  maximum  cargo  was  less  than  3,800  tons, 
showing  that  the  depth  of  water  in  the  channels  did  not  permit  full 
loading.  The  season  of  1805,  when  the  Canadian  lock  was  opened, 
happened  to  be  one  of  low  water.  Several  large  ships  of  nearly  3,000 
tons  register  were  in  commission  and  two  which  exceeded  3,300,  but 
the  maximum  cargo  was  only  4,400  net  tons.  During  the  next  two 
years  there  was  little  increase  in  size,  but  about  thirty  ships  were  built 
which  slightly  exceeded  3,000  tons  net  register.  With  improved  con¬ 
ditions  in  the  harbors  and  channels,  the  maximum  cargo  rose  to  6,244 
net  tons.  In  1808  three  ships  of  more  than  4,000  tons  register  were  in 
service,  and  the  maximum  cargo  was  7,840  net  tons.  The  maximum 
cargo  in  1899,  8,339  tons,  was  carried  by  the  John  Smeaton,  which 
has  a  registered  tonnage  of  4,725. 

The  economy  of  transportation  in  these  large  ships  has  been  so 
marked  that  the  building  of  ships  of  less  net  registered  tonnage  than 
2,000  for  the  through  freight  business  from  Lake  Superior  to  Lake  Erie 
ports  has  practically  ceased.  The  largest  ships  now  in  use  on  the 
lakes  have  a  length  of  500  feet  over  all  and  a  beam  of  about  52  feet. 
It  is  hazardous  to  say  that  the  limit  of  dimensions  has  been  reached 
or  neared,  but  when  it  is  considered  how  rapidly  the  cost  of  a  ship 
increases  with  its  length  and  how  difficult  it  is  to  secure  structural 
strength  without  increase  of  draft,  it  seems  reasonable  to  conclude 
that  no  further  very  marked  increase  will  take  place  until  the  harbors 
and  connecting  channels  are  made  deeper. 

Although  the  existing  channels  do  not  have  quite  21  feet  of  water, 
the  larger  ships  are  designed  to  be  loaded  to  19  feet  or  more.  For  the 
rapid  and  safe  movement  of  a  ship  in  the  21-foot  waterway  there 
should  be  about  2  feet  of  water  under  its  keel.  The  larger  ships  now 
in  use,  therefore,  have  reached  the  limit  of  draft  that  should  be  per¬ 
mitted  in  this  waterway.  If  it  were  certain  that  ships  no  larger  than 
the  largest  now  in  use  would  furnish  the  most  economical  transporta¬ 
tion,  the  locks  should  be  no  larger  than  required  to  receive  them. 
There  may  be,  however,  considerable  development  in  length  and  beam, 
and  if  such  an  increase  should  prove  practicable  and  economical,  it 
would  be  a  serious  error  if  the  locks  were  made  too  small.  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  locks  were  a  little  larger  than  needed,  the  cost  would 
not  be  increased  very  much  nor  the  operation  of  the  canal  impeded 
appreciably.  The  dimensions  adopted — 600  feet  long  and  60  feet 
wide — are  sufficient  for  a  ship  550  feet  long  over  all  and  58  feet  beam. 
Such  a  ship  would  have  about  25  per  cent  greater  carrying  capacity 
than  the  largest  now  on  the  lakes. 

These  dimensions  provide  for  the  passage  of  the  larger  ships  singly. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


131 


The  locks  of  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  were  designed  to  pass  fleets  of 
four  large  ships  at  a  single  lockage  whenever  so  many  were  in  waiting, 
and  in  practice  the  average  number  of  ships  per  lockage  is  about  two. 
This  canal  offers  the  most  conspicuous  existing  example  of  t lie  han¬ 
dling  of  a  large  traffic  through  a  canal  with  locks,  and  some  reasons 
must  be  given  for  departing  from  such  a  precedent. 

The  first  reason  is  that  a  lock  large  enough  to  contain  a  fleet  of  four 
of  the  largest  ships  likely  to  navigate  the  waterway  would  be  large 
beyond  precedent.  The  new  or  Poe  lock  at  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal 
is  800  feet  long  and  100  feet  wide.  Before  it  was  completed,  ships  of 
more  than  half  its  length  were  in  use  and  the  lock  would  receive  only 
two  of  them  at  once.  Within  three  years  after  its  opening,  ships 
were  in  use  of  more  than  half  its  breadth  as  well  as  more  than  half  its 
length,  and  only  one  of  them  could  be  taken  into  the  lock  at  one  lock¬ 
age.  For  the  “type  ship”  in  the  21-foot  channel  (see  Appendix  5) 
the  lock  to  pass  four  at  once  would  have  to  be  1,020  feet  long  and 
about  10(3  feet  wide.  To  pass  ships  of  the  larger  size  thought  possible, 
550  feet  long  and  58  feet  beam,  the  lock  should  be  1,170  feet  long  and 
about  120  feet  wide.  The  difficulties  of  operating  such  a  lock  would 
be  very  great. 

The  second  reason  is  that  each  vessel  would  be  delayed  while  other 
vessels  were  being  placed  in  the  lock.  This  is  not  of  great  moment 
at  a  single  lock,  but  with  the  large  number  of  locks  on  the  deep 
waterway  the  aggregate  loss  of  time  would  be  a  serious  tax  on  navi¬ 
gation.  It  is  believed  that  the  waterway  should  be  so  designed  as  to 
provide  the  quickest  transit  for  each  ship. 

The  preceding  reasons  relate  to  the  economy  of  the  ship.  A  third 
reason  for  preferring  the  lock  for  a  single  ship  is  found  in  economy 
of  water  supply.  This  is  of  most  importance  on  the  Mohawk  route, 
where  it  would  be  difficult  to  obtain  a  sufficient  supply  for  the  large 
locks. 

Ocean  ships  have  had  a  less  rapid  development  than  ships  on  the 
Great  Lakes,  but  similar  in  kind.  The  controlling  conditions  are  more 
complex  than  on  the  lakes;  the  depth  in  harbors  varies  greatly;  the 
nature  of  the  cargo,  the  number  of  ports  of  call,  and  the  port  facilities 
for  handling  freight  differ  from  the  simpler  conditions  and  more  per¬ 
fect  appliances  on  the  lakes,  and  on  many  routes  it  is  impracticable 
for  large  ships  to  be  profitably  employed. 

The  greater  part  of  the  freight  transported  by  sea  is  carried  in  ships 
not  exceeding  500  feet  in  extreme  length  and  55  feet  beam.  For  pas¬ 
senger  service  large  and  fast  ships  are  preferred  by  the  traveling  pub¬ 
lic.  This  fact  has  led  to  the  building  of  larger  and  faster  ships  for  a 
combined  passenger  and  freight  service  than  usually  required  for 
freight  alone;  yet  the  largest  ships  of  the  long-established  Peninsular 
and  Oriental  Steamship  Company  which  traverse  the  Suez  Canal  and 
visit  East  Indian  and  Australian  ports  do  not  exceed  the  dimensions 


132 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


above  named.  One  of  the  new  ships  of  this  line,  the  Assay e , 
launched  in  October,  1890,  is  only  4-50  feet  long  and  54  feet  beam.  The 
new  ships  of  the  White  Star  Line  for  the  Australian  trade  are  much 
larger,  being  about  575  feet  long  over  all  by  54  feet  beam. 

The  most  marked  development  in  size  of  ocean  ships  has  been  on 
the  North  Atlantic  route.  This  would  seem  particularly  pertinent 
to  the  deep  waterway,  because  the  greater  part  of  the  materials  pass¬ 
ing  through  the  deep  waterway  for  export  would  cross  the  ocean  by 
the  North  Atlantic  route.  The  longest  ships  on  this  route  are  devoted 
wholly  or  mainly  to  the  transportation  of  passengers.  They  would 
not  traverse  the  deep  waterway.  The  next  in  length  are  ships  carry¬ 
ing  both  passengers  and  freight  and  running  from  14  to  1!)  statute 
miles  per  hour.  The  largest  of  this  class  are  the  Pennsylvania  and 
Graf  I Valdersee,  of  the  Hamburg- American  Line,  550  to  565  feet  long 
and  42  feet  beam;  the  Cymric ,  of  the  White  Star  Line,  600  feet  long 
and  64  feet  beam,  and  the  Ivernia  and  Saxonia,  of  the  Cunard  Line, 
600  feet  long  and  644  feet  beam.  These  ships  when  fully  loaded  draw 
upward  of  30  feet  in  sea  water,  while  the  permissible  draft  in  the 
30-foot  deep  waterway  would  not  much  exceed  27  feet  in  fresh  water, 
equivalent  to  a  sea  draft  of  about  26  feet  There  must  be  some  ratio 
between  length  and  draft  for  the  best  economical  results. 

This  ratio  between  length  and  draft  is  treated  very  ably  in  a  paper 
by  Prof.  J.  If.  Biles  recently  presented  to  the  (British)  Institution  of 
Naval  Architects.  This  paper  contains  estimates  of  cost  of  two  series 
of  ships,  running  from  500  to  700  feet  in  length.  In  the  first  series  the 
full-load  draft  is  uniformly  27  feet  6  inches.  In  the  second  series 
the  draft  increases  from  27  feet  6  inches  for  the  ship  500  feet  long  to 
38  feet  6  inches  for  the  ship  700  feet  long,  the  ratio  of  length  to  draft 
being  about  18.  A  comparison  is  then  made  of  the  cost  of  carrying  a 
ton  of  cargo  5,000  nautical  miles  at  a  speed  of  12  knots  per  hour  in 
these  ships.  The  results  are  shown  in  the  following  table: 


Length  of  ship— feet . . . . 

500 

550 

600 

650 

700 

First  series,  clratt  27  feet  6  inches  for  all: 

Cost,  in  shillings,  per  ton  of  cargo . . 

8.6 

9.0 

9.6 

10.4 

11.2 

Second  series,  draft  varying: 

Draft  . . .  .  . . 

27'  6" 

30'  3" 

33'  0" 

35'  9" 

38'  6" 

Cost,  in  shillings,  per  ton  of  cargo . 

8.6 

8.0 

7.  (5 

7.2 

7.0 

This  table  shows  clearly  the  greater  cost  of  transportation  in  large 
ships  per  ton  of  cargo  on  a  limited  draft,  as  well  as  the  economy  of 
transportation  in  large  ships  with  draft  increasing  with  length. 

In  order  to  check  these  results  by  an  independent  estimate  with 
more  complete  details  of  the  several  elements  of  cost,  one  of  the  most 
prominent  naval  architects  in  the  United  States,  Mr.  Frank  E.  Kirby, 
was  requested  by  the  Board  to  prepare  estimates  of  the  cost  of  build¬ 
ing,  maintaining,  and  operating  ships  of  various  dimensions  from  480 


X 


DEEP  WATERWAYS.  133 

feet  in  length  by  52  feet  in  breadth  to  550  feet  in  length  by  GO  feet  in 
breadth,  all  with  a  load  draft  of  27  feet.  The  estimates  are  given  and 
discussed  in  Appendix  5.  They  show  that  the  cheapest  transporta¬ 
tion  through  the  30-foot  waterway  from  Duluth  or  Chicago  to  New 
York  Harbor  would  be  given  by  the  ship  500  feet  long.  The  beam  of 
this  ship  was  assumed  to  be  54  feet. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  length  is  practically  the  same  as 
that  of  the  largest  existing  ship  on  the  Great  Lakes — the  John  W. 
Gates — and  that  its  beam  is  only  2  feet  greater,  while  its  draft 
exceeds  that  of  the  Gates  by  7  or  8  feet.  This  analysis  therefore 
supports  the  idea  that  the  limit  of  size  of  lake  boats  has  been  nearly 
or  quite  reached  unless  the  harbors  and  channels  are  made  deeper. 

The  foregoing  figures  have  been  based  on  the  assumption  that  the 
cargo  would  be  of  such  density  that  the  ships  could  be  fully  loaded. 
Certain  classes  of  freight  might  require  more  space  than  a  ship  500  by 
54  feet  affords.  Professor  Liles  shows  that  the  larger  ship  on  constant 
draft  gives  greater  proportional  space.  This  might  lead  to  the  use  of 
a  small  number  of  larger  ships.  Further  improvements  in  terminal 
facilities  and  further  economies  in  operating  ships  might  tend  in  the 
same  direction. 

Although  the  contingency  is  extremely  remote,  it  is  conceivable 
that  it  may  at  some  time  become  extremely  desirable  to  pass  war 
ships  through  the  waterway.  To  pass  our  largest  existing  battle  ships 
would  require  a  width  of  locks  of  75  feet,  and  it  maybe  expected  that 
larger  ones  will  be  built  in  the  near  future.  A  reasonable  provision 
for  future  increase  would  be  made  if  the  width  were  fixed  at  80  feet. 

Among  the  industries  which  it  is  expected  the  waterway  will 
develop  at  lake  ports  is  that  of  building  ocean  ships.  With  locks  80 
feet  wide  this  industry  could  include  the  building  of  battle  ships. 

With  these  several  considerations  before  it,  the  Board  decided  to 
estimate  for  the  30-foot  waterway,  locks  740  feet  in  length  from  quoin 
to  quoin,  giving  an  available  length  of  about  700  feet  and  80  feet  in 
width.  The  additional  width  of  lock  increases  the  time  required  for 
filling  and  emptying  the  lock,  and  thus  reduces  to  some  extent  the 
commercial  usefulness  of  the  waterway.  There  will  be  difference  of 
opinion  as  to  whether  the  possible  military  value  and  the  possible 
service  to  shipbuilding  interests  justify  the  infliction  of  this  loss  on 
the  interests  of  navigation. 

In  view  of  the  result  of  the  investigation  regarding  the  length  of 
ship  to  give  the  cheapest  transportation,  the  length  of  lock  adopted 
may  seem  too  great.  In  single  locks  or  when  two  lifts  are  combined  it 
is  proposed  to  place  intermediate  gates  in  the  locks,  so  that  a  shorter 
chamber  can  be  used  when  desirable.  In  these  cases  tin1  long  lock  is 
objectionable  on  account  of  first  cost  only.  Where  more  than  two 
lifts  are  combined  the  intermediate  gates  are  omitted,  and  if  the 
adopted  length  of  lock  is  greater  than  necessary  it  affects  unfavorably 


134 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


both  first  cost  and  facility  of  operation;  but  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  successive  economies  in  cost  of  transportation  have  almost 
invariably  favored  a  larger  ship,  and  it  is  judicious  to  make  a  large 
provision  for  possible  increase. 

CAPACITY  OF  A  LOCK  OR  SYSTEM  OF  LOCKS  FOR  THE  PASSAGE  OF 

SHIPS. 

It  is  necessary  to  show  what  capacity  for  traffic  the  waterways  pro¬ 
posed  will  have.  It  is  obvious  that  the  limit  is  fixed  by  the  locks. 
The  method  followed  for  investigation  is  to  calculate  the  maximum 
capacity  of  a  lock  or  series  of  locks  to  pass  ships,  and  then  to  apply  to 
this  theoretical  result  a  coefficient  derived  from  experience  at  the  St. 
Marys  Falls  Canal,  to  obtain  the  practical  capacity.  The  discussion 
of  several  problems  of  the  deep  waterway  requires  a  determination  or 
assumption  as  to  the  average  size  of  ships  that  will  traverse  it.  The 
question  is  taken  up  briefly  elsewhere,  with  the  result  that  the  average 
net  register  of  ships  in  the  21-foot  waterway  is  taken  at  2,500  tons  and 
in  the  30-foot  waterway  at  3,000  tons. 

The  greater  part  of  the  freight  carried  through  the  deep  waterway 
will  be  bound  eastward.  It  has  been  estimated  that  the  west-bound 
freight  will  be  one-third  as  much.  Through  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal 
the  west-bound  freight  in  1899  was  about  22  per  cent  of  the  east- 
bound.  For  the  present  purpose  it  is  assumed  that  ships  east  bound 
will  carry  full  loads  and  when  bound  west  will  carry  one-fourth  as 
much.  A  ship  fully  loaded  carries  about  twice  its  net  registered  ton¬ 
nage.  The  total  freight  carried  will  therefore  be,  on  the  assumption 
given,  two  and  one-half  times  its  net  register  for  the  round  trip,  or  an 
average  of  one  and  one-fourth  times  its  net  register  for  each  passage. 
In  calculating  the  capacity  of  a  lock  it  is  more  convenient  to  deal  with 
the  net  registered  tonnage. 

The  delay  at  a  lock  is  calculated  from  the  following  data: 

1.  A  ship  approaching  a  lock  will  reduce  speed  at  the  rate  of  1  mile 
per  hour  while  moving  400  feet. 

2.  When  within  700  feet  of  the  lock-gate  quoin  its  speed  will  have 
been  reduced  to  2  miles  per  hour. 

3.  If  the  lock  is  open,  the  ship  will  continue  at  this  rate  until  its 
stern  is  within  150  feet  of  the  lock-gate  quoin  (200  feet  if  moving 
downstream).  It  will  come  to  a  full  stop  in  the  next  200  feet,  back¬ 
ing  the  wheel  if  necessary. 

4.  If  the  lock  is  not  ready,  the  ship,  on  arriving  within  700  feet  of 
the  lock-gate  quoin  with  a  speed  of  2  miles  per  hour,  will  come  to  a 
full  stop  within  the  next  200  feet,  backing  the  wheel  if  necessary,  and 
tie  up.  When  the  lock  is  opened,  the  ship  will  acquire  a  speed  of  2 
miles  per  hour  in  moving  400  feet  and  continue  at  this  rate  into  the 
lock,  stopping  as  before. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


135 


5.  The  time  required  for  opening-  or  closing  a  pair  of  gates  is  taken 
at  two  minutes. 

6.  When  the  ship  is  brought  to  a  stop  in  the  lock,  it  will  move 
forward  until  its  bow  is  within  50  feet  of  the  next  quoin  and  tie  up. 
This  movement  will  be  made  while  the  gates  are  being  closed. 

7.  The  time  for  filling  or  emptying  a  single  lift,  for  filling  the  upper 
lock  of  a  series,  and  for  emptying  the  lower  lock  of  a  series  is  the  the¬ 
oretical  time  divided  b}7the  coefficient  0.75.  For  the  filling  or  empty¬ 
ing  of  intermediate  locks  of  a  series  the  coefficient  is  taken  at  0.66. 
The  coefficient  is  smaller  in  this  case  on  account  of  the  greater  length 
of  the  culverts. 

8.  A  ship  leaving  a  lock  acquires  a  speed  of  2  miles  per  hour  in 
moving  400  feet,  increases  speed  to  4  miles  per  hour  in  the  next  600 
feet,  and  then  proceeds  to  increase  speed  at  the  rate  of  1  mile  per 
hour  while  moving  400  feet  until  full  speed  is  attained. 

Lockage  capacity  of  the  21-foot  waterway. — The  maximum  capacity 
of  a  single  lock  would  be  developed  if  ships  were  constantly  in  waiting 
and  were  passed  alternately  up  and  down.  The  minimum  time 
required  for  the  passage  of  two  ships  through  a  lock  of  20  feet  lift 


would  be  as  follows: 

From  tie-up  place  into  lock,  first  ship . . minutes. .  9. 3 

Closing  lower  gates . .  do -  2.0 

Filling  lock . .  . . . . do....  5.1 

Opening  upper  gates _ _ _ _ - . do _  2.0 

Leaving  lock  passing  waiting  ship. . . ...do -  8. 1 

Moving  into  lock  from  tie-up  place,  second  ship . . ...do _  9.0 

Closing  upper  gates . . do -  2. 0 

Emptying  lock . . ..do _  5.1 

Opening  lower  gates, . do _  2.0 

Leaving  lock  and  passing  waiting  ship . . do _  8. 1 


Time  for  two  ships . . . . .  do _  52.7 

Time  per  ship  _ _  _ _ _  .do _  26.35 

Number  of  ships  in  a  navigation  year  of  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven 

days _  _ _  _ _ _ _  12,952 

Annual  net  registered  tonnage,  at  2,500  tons  per  ship _  _ tons  .  32, 3s0,  000 

Annual  freight  traffic,  assumed  to  be  one  and  one-fourth  times  the  reg¬ 
istered  tonnage..  . . 1 . tons..  40,475,000 


This  would  lie  the  maximum  traffic  capacity  if  the  lock  were  in  con¬ 
stant  operation  with  no  delays  whatever.  Notwithstanding  the  great¬ 
est  perfection  in  operating  machinery,  the  utmost  skill  in  handling  it, 
and  the  greatest  care  in  the  moving  of  ships  at  the  locks,  accidents 
and  delays  will  occur,  increasing  considerably  the  average  time  of 
lockage.  The  condition  that  ships  shall  always  be  in  waiting  is  inad¬ 
missible,  because  it  would  involve  so  much  aggregate  delay  to  ship¬ 
ping  as  to  make  the  route  unprofitable.  By  reason  of  varying  weather, 
different  rates  of  speed,  and  delays  in  receiving  freight,  the  distribu¬ 
tion  of  ships  along  the  route  is  far  from  uniform,  and  as  the  traffic 


136 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


capacity  of  a  lock  is  approached  the  delays  to  shipping  augment  in 
rapidly  increasing  ratio.  Experience  at  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal 
shows  this  very  clearly. 

The  greatest  traffic  through  this  canal  with  only  one  lock  in  oper¬ 
ation  occurred  in  1894  through  the  Weitzel  lock.  The  delays  to  ships 
were  so  great  that  it  may  be  considered  the  practical  traffic  capacity 
of  the  lock  was  reached.  The  canal  records  enable  a  comparison  to 
be  made  of  the  theoretical  (or  calculated)  and  the  practical  traffic 
capacity  of  the  locks  of  the  deep  waterway. 

In  applying  the  data  it  is  necessary  to  make  two  corrections,  which 
depend  on  the  character  of  the  shipping.  These  are :  First.  The  ships 
which  will  traverse  the  deep  waterway  are  assumed  to  average  2,500 
tons  net  register  (for  the  21-foot  waterway).  This  is  more  than  twice 
the  mean  tonnage  of  the  ships  traversing  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  in 
1894,  and  the  larger  ships  require  more  time  in  handling.  Second. 
Two  or  more  ships  are  usually  locked  through  together  at  the  St.  Marys 
Falls  Canal,  while  it  is  expected  that  ships  will  pass  singly  through 
the  locks  of  the  deep  waterway.  The  time  required  for  lockage  should 
therefore  be  less  for  the  deep  waterway.  A  third  correction  depends 
on  the  time  required  for  filling  or  emptying  the  lock.  This  will  be  less 
for  the  lock  of  20-foot  lift  in  the  21-foot-deep  waterway  than  for  the 
Weitzel  lock. 

The  following  data  relating  to  the  traffic  of  1894  through  the  Weitzel 
lock  are  taken  from  the  official  report  of  the  engineer  officer  in  charge: 


Net  registered  tonnage  _ _ _ _ 

The  number  of  lockages _ _ 

The  number  of  ships _ _ _  _ 

Average  time  of  lockage _ _ _ _ 

Average  time  in  lock  for  each  ship . . .  . 

14491 

The  average  number  of  ships  per  lockage  was  =2.25. 


13. 110,366 
6, 431 
14.  491 
40'  34" 
34'  32" 


The  net  registered  tonnage  given  above  is  taken  to  represent  the 
practical  traffic  capacity  of  the  Weitzel  lock.  It  is  to  be  shown  what 
the  corresponding  capacity  would  have  been  if  the  ships  had  been 
locked  singly,  if  the  net  registered  tonnage  of  ships  had  averaged 
2,500,  and  if  the  time  for  filling  and  emptying  the  lock  had  been  the 
same  as  calculated  for  the  lock  of  20-foot  lift  in  the  21-foot  waterway. 

At  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  the  time  for  a  lockage  is  taken  as 
beginning  when  the  bow  of  the  ship  enters  the  lock  and  ending  when 
the  stern  leaves  it.  The  entire  cycle  from  the  beginning  of  one  lock¬ 
age  to  the  beginning  of  the  next  is  greater.  Sufficient  time  must  be 
added  to  the  given  time  of  lockage  to  permit  the  ship  to  move  from 
t  he  outlet  of  the  lock  past  the  waiting  ship  (which  is  supposed  to  be 
lying  as  near  the  lock  as  practicable)  and  for  the  movement  of  the 
second  ship  from  its  waiting  place  to  the  entrance  to  the  lock.  The 
second  ship  can  not  move  until  the  first  ship  passes  it.  The  time 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


137 


required  for  these  two  movements  lias  not  been  observed  at  the  St. 
Marys  Falls  Canal.  It  has  been  calculated  for  the  deep  waterways  to 
be  8  minutes.  For  the  smaller  ships  of  1801  it  would  probably  have 
been  about  two-thirds  as  much,  or  5.3  minutes.  Adding  this  to  the 
reported  time  of  lockage,  there  results  when  lockages  are  consecutive — 

Interval  from  the  commencement  of  one  lockage  to  the  commence¬ 
ment  of  the  next  at  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  in  1894,40.5  +  5.3=45.8 
minutes. 

It  is  next  to  be  determined  how  much  this  lockage  interval  would 
be  reduced  if  ships  were  locked  singly. 

Let  n  -  number  of  ships  per  lockage. 

Let  x  =  time  of  ship  in  lock  when  locked  singly. 

Let  u  —  additional  time  required  to  move  another  ship  into  or  out 
of  the  lock. 

The  additional  time  per  lockage  and  additional  time  per  ship  will 
be  as  per  following  table: 


Num¬ 
ber  of 
ships 
per 
lock¬ 
age. 

Delays  to  ships  while  others 
are  entering  lock. 

Delays  to  ships  while  others 
are  leaving  lock. 

Total 

delay 

to 

ships. 

agendo-  Lockage 
age  ue  tjme 

*hip.  increased. 

To 

first 

ship. 

To  To 

second  third 
ship.  ;  ship. 

To 

fourth 

ship. 

To  To 

first  second 
ship.  ;  ship. 

To 

third 

ship. 

To 

fourth 

ship. 

u  =  l  .. 

(i 

0  ' . 

(i 

0  0 

n  —2 

V 

3  y 

6  . 

0  y 

0  y 

0  y 

2  y 

y  1  2// 

2  y  |  4  y 

3  y  fi// 

n  =3  - . 

y  o 

2.V  V 

2  y 
2// 

12  y 

ix  =4  . .. 

0 

From  this  table  we  can  deduce  the  following  form  like: 


Time  of  ship  in  lock  =,/•+(/< —  1)  y. 

Time  of  lockage=,r+2  (n  —  1)  y. 

For  1894,  =2.25,  and  tin*  equations  become 

.r+  (2.25 —  1 )  y— 34.5. 

.r+2  (2.25—1)  i/=40.5. 

Whence  y  =  4.8  minutes. 

ir=2S. 5  minutes=time  of  ship  in  the  Weitzel  lock  in  1894 
when  locked  singly.  File  entire  interval  between  the  commencement 
of  one  lockage  and  the  commencement  of  the  next  would  have  been 
5.3  minutes  more,  or  28.5+5.3  =  33.8  minutes. 

With  the  larger  ships  assumed  for  the  deep  waterway,  this  interval 
would  be  greater  on  account  of  the  additional  time  required  to  move 
the  larger  ship  from  the  waiting  place  into  the  lock  and  from  the  lock 
past  the  waiting  place,  including  the  movement  in  the  lock  as  well  as 
in  the  approaches.  The  calculated  time  for  these  movements  is  17.34 
minutes;  one-third  of  this  is  5.8  minutes.  Adding  this  to  33.8,  there 


138 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


results  39.6  minutes  as  the  time  required  for  locking  the  assumed  deep¬ 
waterway  ship  through  the  Weitzel  lock.  If  the  deep- waterways  lock 
of  20  feet  lift  were  substituted  for  the  Weitzel  lock,  the  lockage  time 
would  be  reduced  by  reason  of  quicker  filling  and  emptying.  This 
reduction  would  be  about  3  minutes,  making  interval  from  commence¬ 
ment  of  one  lockage  of  a  single  ship  to  commencement  of  next  through 
the  deep-waterways  lock  of  20  feet  lift  (21-foot  waterway) =39. 6  —  3.0= 
36.6  minutes. 

This  is  larger  than  the  calculated  time  given  on  page  135,  as  it  ought 
to  be,  because  it  includes  delays  of  all  kinds  in  the  locks,  but  it  does 
not  include  delays  of  ships  awaiting  lockage.  It  is  to  be  compared 
with  the  corresponding  time  actually  required  for  fleet  lockages  in 
1894,  given  on  page  137  as  45.8  minutes.  It  may  be  presumed  that  if 
the  lockage  time  were  reduced  from  45.8  to  36.6  minutes  the  number 
of  lockages  would  be  correspondingly  increased  and  the  traffic  could 
be  augmented  in  like  ratio  with  no  more  delay  to  waiting  ships.  The 
actual  number  of  lockages  having  been  6,431,  the  number  through  the 
deep- waterways  lock  with  one  ship  of  2,500  tons  net  register  per  lockage 
would  be — 

6,43t  X^f  = _ _ _ _ - . . . . .  8,048 

00.0 

Net  registered  tonnage,  at  2,500  tons  per  ship. . . .  20, 120,  000 

Freight  tonnage,  one  and  one-fourth  times  net  registered  tonnage _  25, 150,000 

With  this  traffic  the  delays  to  waiting  ships  would  be  about  the  same 
as  occurred  at  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  in  1894,  and  it  may  be  con¬ 
sidered  the  practical  maximum  capacity  of  a  single  lock  of  20  feet  lift 
in  the  21-foot  waterway.  It  is  about  0.621  of  the  calculated  maximum 
capacity  of  this  lock.  This  coefficient  will  be  applied  in  the  following 
cases  to  the  calculated  maximum  capacity  to  obtain  the  practical  capac¬ 
ity  of  the  several  lockage  systems. 

This  deduction  of  practical  capacity  of  the  lock  of  the  deep  water¬ 
way  is  based  upon  the  best  existing  data.  Although  certain  factors 
introduced  are  derived  from  assumptions  as  to  movement  of  ships,  it 
is  not  believed  that  any  error  contained  in  them  can  affect  in  an 
important  degree  the  traffic  capacity  obtained  from  the  discussion. 

If  two  successive  lifts  of  20  feet  each  were  combined  into  one  flight, 
the  minimum  time  required  for  the  passage  of  two  ships  in  opposite 
directions  would  be  82  minutes,  or  41  minutes  per  ship.  This  would 
make  the  calculated  maximum  capacity  of  the  system  26,012,000 
freight  tons  per  navigation  year  of  237  days,  or,  applying  the  coeffi¬ 
cient,  0.621,  a  practical  maximum  capacity  of  16,153,000  tons. 

If  three  or  more  locks  are  combined  into  one  flight,  the  capacity  of 
the  system  will  be  still  less.  If  the  system  is  doubled,  ships  will  be 
passed  down  in  one  flight  and  up  in  the  other.  The  minimum  interval 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


139 


between  two  ships  will  be  as  per  following  statement.  Take  the  Lew¬ 
iston  flight,  with  locks  of  40  feet  lift,  as  representing  the  worst  case: 


Minutes. 

From  tie-np  place  into  lock  (from  below)  _ _ _  9.3 

Closing  gates _ _ _ _ _ _ _  2.0 

Filling  lock _ _ _ _ _ _  5.8 

Opening  second  gates _ _ _  2.0 

Moving  into  second  lock _ _ _ _ _  6.7 

Closing  second  gates _ _ _  2. 0 

Emptying  first  lock _  _ _ _ _  7.2 

Opening  upper  gates _ _ _ _ _ - . . . . -  2.0 


Interval _  _ _ _  37.0 


With  an  interval  between  ships  of  37  minutes,  the  number  of  ships 
in  the  navigation  year  of  237  days  would  be  9,224;  net  registered  ton¬ 
nage  at  2,500  tons  per  ship,  23,060,000;  freight  tonnage  one  and  one- 
fourth  times  registered  tonnage,  28,825,000.  For  the  duplicate  line 
of  locks  the  capacity  would  be  the  same,  making  the  calculated 
maximum  traffic  =  28,825,000  X  2  =  57,650,000  tons.  The  practical 
maximum=0.621  of  this=35,801,000  tons. 

Lockage  capacity  of  the  30-foot  waterway. — Following  the  same 
method  as  for  the  21-foot  waterway,  the  minimum  time  required  for 
the  passage  of  two  ships  in  opposite  directions  through  a  single  lock 


of  20  feet  lift  would  be  as  follows: 

Minutes. 

From  tie-up  place  into  lock,  first  ship  . . . . .  9.  6 

Closing  lower  gates _ _ _ _ _ _  2.0 

Filling  lock . . . . . . .  8.4 

Opening  upper  gates _ _ _ _ - . . . .  2.0 

Leaving  lock  and  passing  waiting  ship  . . _ _ _ _  8.3 

Moving  into  lock  from  tie-up  place,  second  ship _ _ _  9. 3 

Closing  upper  gates _ _ _ _ _  2.0 

Emptying  lock  - - - - - -  8.4 

Opening  lower  gates . . . . . . . . . .  2.0 

Leaving  lock  and  passing  waiting  ship - . . - -  8. 3 


Time  for  two  ships . - _ _  60. 3 

Time  per  ship _ _ .. _ _ _ _ .  30.15 

Number  of  ships  in  a  navigation  year  of  237  days.  _ _ _  11, 319 

Annual  net  registered  tonnage,  at  3,000  tons  per  ship _ tons. .  33, 957, 000 

Annual  freight  tonnage,  assumed  to  be  one  and  one-fourth  times 
the  registered  tonnage . do _  42, 446, 000 


This  is  the  calculated  maximum.  Using  the  same  coefficient  as 
before,  0.621,  the  practical  maximum  would  be  42,446,000  x  0.621  = 
26,359,000  for  a  single  lock  of  20-foot  lift  in  the  30-foot  waterway. 

If  two  successive  lifts  of  20  feet  each  were  combined  into  one  flight, 
<  the  minimum  time  required  for  the  passage  of  two  ships  in  opposite 
directions  would  be  96  minutes,  or  48  minutes  per  ship.  This  would 
make  the  calculated  maximum  capacity  of  the  system  26,662,000  net 


140 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


tons  of  freight  in  a  navigation  year  of  237  days,  or  a  practical  maxi¬ 
mum  of  0.621  of  this  =  16,557,000  tons. 

With  three  or  more  locks  combined  in  one  flight  the  capacity  of  the 
system  will  be  less,  as  already  noted  in  discussing  the  locks  for  the 
21-foot  waterway,  and  if  greater  capacity  is  desired  the  system  must 
be  doubled,  one  flight  of  locks  being  used  for  ships  bound  down,  the 
other  for  ships  bound  up.  The  maximum  capacity  of  a  flight  depends 
on  the  minimum  interval  required  between  ships.  Taking  the  Lew¬ 
iston  flight  with  a  lift  of  40  feet  at  each  lock,  the  minimum  interval 
between  ships  will  be  as  follows: 

Minutes 


From  tie-up  place  into  lock 

Closing  first  gates  _ 

Emptying  first  lock  _ 

Opening  second  gates. _ 

Moving  into  second  lock.  _ 

Closing  second  gates . . 

Filling  first  lock . 

Opening  first  gates . . 


9.6 
2.0 
9.6 
2.0 
7. 1 
2.0 
11.9 
2.0 


Interval  between  ships. . 


46.2 


With  an  interval  between  ships  of  46.2  minutes  the  number  of  ships 
in  a  navigation  year  of  237  days  would  be  7,387.  Net  registered  ton¬ 
nage  at  3,000  tons  per  ship,  22,161,000  tons.  Freight  tonnage,  one 
and  one-quarter  times  registered  tonnage,  27,701,000  net  tons. 

For  the  duplicate  flight  of  locks  the  capacity  would  be  the  same, 
making  the  calculated  maximum  capacity — 


Tons. 

27.701.000  X  2= . . . .  . . . .  55,402.000 

The  practical  capacity  =  0.621  of  this . . . ....  ....  34.405,000 


This  is  less  than  the  capacity  of  the  same  system  of  locks  in  the 
21-foot  waterway,  although  the  assumed  average  tonnage  per  ship  is 
20  per  cent  greater.  The  result  illustrates  the  cost  to  purely  com¬ 
mercial  navigation  interests  of  adopting  lock  dimensions  much  greater 
than  commercial  ships  are  likely  to  require  in  order  to  make  the  water¬ 
way  more  useful  for  war  purposes. 

The  Board  assumes,  for  the  discussion  of  technical  questions  affect¬ 
ing  the  waterway,  that  the  annual  traffic  will  be  25,000,000  tons.  It 
is  believed  that  this  can  be  passed  through  a  single  lift  by  a  single 
lock;  but  the  capacity  of  the  lock  will  be  nearly  reached,  and  the 
delays  to  ships  while  awaiting  lockage  will  be  considerable.  At  the 
St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  in  1894  the  delay  to  ships  while  awaiting  lock¬ 
age  was  an  average  of  34  hours  for  each.  The  delays  were  due  mainly 
to  bad  weather,  causing  ships  to  arrive  at  times  in  fleets.  These 
delays  increase  rapidly  when  the  waterway  is  overcrowded. 

In  1890,  with  a  tonnage  of  8,500,000  tons,  the  average  delay  was  less 
than  14  hours.  In  1896,  when  the  Canadian  lock  was  in  successful 
operation  and  the  new  Poe  lock  afforded  some  relief,  the  delays  were 


DEEP  WATERWAY S. 


141 


reduced  to  less  than  one  hour,  although  the  tonnage  had  increased 
since  1894  from  13,100,000  to  17,200,000.  In  1897  all  three  locks  of  t ln- 
system  were  in  successful  operation,  and  the  average  delay  was  only 
one-fourth  hour,  with  a  tonnage  of  17,600,000. 

The  preceding  estimates  of  capacity  of  locks  have  been  based  on  the 
record  of  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  in  1894.  If  the  treatment  is  cor¬ 
rect,  it  follows  that  when  the  annual  freight  tonnage  in  the  21-foot 
waterway  reaches  25,150,000,  the  delays  at  that  point  with  only  a  single 
lock  in  use  would  be  about  34  hours  per  ship;  in  the  30-foot  waterway 
this  delay  would  occur  when  the  annual  freight  tonnage  reached 
26,359,000.  This  unequal  distribution  of  shipping  would  probably  be 
greater  at  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  than  at  any  other  lake  point  on  the 
route,  but  delays  of  a  similar  character  will  occur  on  the  Mohawk  route 
at  Oswego  to  ships  bound  east  and  at  Albany  to  ships  bound  west.  On 
the  St.  Lawrence-Champlain  route  similar  delays  will  occur  at  the 
Galops  Rapids  lock  to  ships  bound  east  and  at  the  Troy  lock  to  ships 
bound  west.  The  delays  at  the  termini  of  the  Niagara  section  would 
be  much  less  on  account  of  the  greater  capacity  of  the  double  lockage 
system  provided  there. 

The  delay  to  ships  at  intermediate  locks  on  each  of  the  divisions  of 
the  waterway  will  be  small,  because  the  terminal  locks  will  distribute 
them.  If  all  ships  moved  at  uniform  rates,  the  delay  would  be  inappre¬ 
ciable,  but  as  some  will  move  more  rapidly  than  others,  there  will  be 
small  delays  at  every  lock  or  flight  of  locks,  and  the  aggregate  will  be 
of  some  importance. 

The  doubling  of  locks,  which  increases  the  capacity  and  reduces  the 
delays,  has  the  further  advantage  that  if  one  of  the  locks  or  flights  is 
disabled  traffic  can  be  continued  through  the  other,  and  a  total  stop¬ 
page  of  traffic  averted.  The  double  system  has  been  adopted  where 
two  or  more  lifts  are  combined,  because  the  anticipated  traffic 
requires  it.  Careful  consideration  has  been  given  to  the  question  of 
doubling  locks  at  single  lifts  (where  a  single  lock  will  pass  the  antici¬ 
pated  traffic),  in  order  to  lessen  the  danger  of  a  stoppage  of  navigation 
by  the  disabling  of  a  lock;  but  it  is  believed  that  the  danger  of  such 
a  contingency  is  not  great  enough  to  justify  the  large  increase  in  cost. 

DIMENSIONS  OF  DUPLICATE  LOCKS. 

Where  the  locks  of  the  21-foot  waterway  are  to  be  doubled,  the 
second  lock  is  designed  to  be  of  the  same  width  as  the  first,  viz,  60  ■ 
feet.  For  the  30-foot  waterway  the  width  of  80  feet  was  fixed,  as 
already  stated,  to  permit  the  passage  of  war  ships  and  to  facilitate  the 
building  of  large  ships  for  ocean  traffic  at  shipyards  on  the  lakes. 
A  lock  70  feet  wide  would  pass  the  largest  existing  commercial  ship, 
and  a  width  of  60  feet  would  probably  be  sufficient  for  nearly  all  the 
ships  which  would  use  tlm  waterway.  The  width  of  60  feet  was  there¬ 
fore  fixed  for  the  second  line  of  locks  in  the  30-foot  waterway. 


142 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


With  this  project  executed,  ships  of  the  largest  class  could  only  he 
passed  in  the  large  locks.  If  such  a  ship  were  going  in  the  direction 
of  the  traffic  through  those  locks  no  difficulty  would  occur;  if  going 
in  the  opposite  direction  it  would  interfere  with  traffic  to  some  extent. 
Where  two  lifts  only  are  combined  into  one  system  the  interference 
would  be  slight  and  unimportant,  but  where  more  than  two  lifts  are 
combined,  notably  in  the  case  of  the  six  combined  locks  of  the  Lewis¬ 
ton  flight,  it  would  be  necessary  practically  to  fill  (or  to  empty  accord¬ 
ing  to  direction  of  ship’s  movement)  all  the  locks  in  the  flight  before 
the  ship  could  enter  the  second  lock,  and  the  delay  to  the  ship  would 
be  considerable. 

All  ships  waiting  to  pass  the  chain  in  regular  order  would  also  be 
delayed.  If  the  proportion  of  ships  exceeding  00  feet  in  breadth 
should  be  large,  and  if  the  traffic  through  the  waterway  were  great, 
the  delays  would  affect  the  usefulness  of  the  waterway  to  a  serious 
extent.  The  proposed  width  of  60  feet  for  the  duplicate  locks  would 
then  prove  insufficient,  and  a  width  of  65  feet  or  more  would  be 
required.  The  cost  of  increasing  the  width  5  feet  would  be  about 
$430,700  for  the  entire  waterway. 

LIFTS  OF  LOCKS. 

In  a  few  localities  the  topography  favors  larger  lifts  than  have  been 
adopted  heretofore.  In  all  these  localities  solid-rock  foundations  are 
available,  and  will  carry  safely  any  load  that  the  largest  lifts  would 
impose  on  them.  Other  points,  however,  required  examination. 

The  first  point  was  whether  gates  could  be  designed  to  safely  stand 
the  extreme  heads  which  would  result  from  the  project  investigated 
by  the  Board.  The  Lewiston  flight,  for  example,  with  lifts  of  40  feet, 
would  subject  the  intermediate  gates  in  the  30-foot  waterway  to  heads 
in  some  cases  as  great  as  77  feet.  The  study  of  this  subject,  given  in 
detail  in  Appendix  No.  2,  showed  that  gates  to  sustain  this  head  are 
entirely  practicable. 

The  next  point  was  in  regard  to  the  relative  usefulness  for  naviga¬ 
tion  of  low  and  high  lifts.  With  low  lifts  the  interval  between  ships 
would  be  less  and  the  maximum  capacity  of  the  waterway  would  be 
greater.  This  may  be  illustrated  by  reference  to  the  Lewiston  flight. 
If  the  lifts  were  20  feet  each,  the  minimum  interval  between  two  ships 
in  the  21-foot  waterway  would  lie  as  follows: 

Minutes. 


For  movement  of  ship  from  tie-up  place  into  lock _ _ _ _  9.3 

Closing  lower  gates . _ . .  2.0 

Filling  lowerlock . . . . . . . . .  4.1 

Opening  second  gates  .  . .  2.0 

Moving  ship  into  second  lock . . . .  _ . . . .  6.7 

Closing  second  gates . . . .  2.0 

Emptying  lower  lock . . . . .  5. 1 

Opening  lower  gates. . . . .  2.0 


Interval . . . 33.2 


PEEP  WATERWAYS. 


143 


With  this  interval  between  ships  t lie  number  of  ships  in  a  naviga¬ 
tion  year  of  237  days  would  be  10,280  in  each  flight,  and  the  net  regis¬ 
tered  tonnage,  at  2,500  tons  per  ship,  25,700,000.  Comparing  this 
with  the  corresponding  estimate  for  40-foot  lifts  (see  p.  139),  the 
reduction  in  capacity  resulting  from  doubling  the  lift  appears  to  be 
about  10  per  cent.  If  the  waterway  should  become  crowded,  the 
delays  to  individual  ships  while  awaiting  lockage  would  be  a  little 
greater  with  high  lifts  than  with  low  ones,  because  the  traffic  limit 
would  be  reached  sooner;  but  unless  the  traffic  exceeds  present  esti¬ 
mates  the  delay  in  either  case  would  be  inconsiderable. 

A  more  important  feature  is  the  delay  that  would  result  to  every 
ship  if  the  projected  lifts  were  reduced.  Again  using  the  Lewiston 
flight  for  comparison,  the  estimated  minimum  time  required  to  pass 
the  6  locks  of  40  feet  each  in  the  21-foot  channel  is  108  minutes.  If 
the  lifts  were  20  feet  each,  12  locks  would  be  required,  and  the  mini¬ 
mum  time  for  passing  them  would  be  18G  minutes,  giving  a  greater 
delay  in  the  low-lift  system  of  78  minutes,  to  which  every  ship  would 
be  subjected  at  this  single  locality.  This  is  the  minimum  possible,  and 
will  be  exceeded,  because  the  unforeseen  delays  in  passing  through  12 
locks  are  greater  than  in  passing  through  G. 

A  third  point  affecting  the  lift  of  locks  is  the  cost  of  the  project. 
No  general  rule  can  be  laid  down  and  each  case  must  be  studied  by 
itself.  No  estimate  has  been  made  of  the  cost  of  the  Lewiston  flight 
with  20-foot  lifts,  but  comparative  estimates  with  lifts  of  30  and  40  feet 
show  that  the  system  with  30-foot  lifts  would  cost  84, GOO, 000  more 
than  with  40-foot  lifts,  and  a  similar  further  increase  may  be  expected 
if  the  lifts  were  reduced  to  20  feet. 

From  these  considerations  there  appears  no  doubt  that  the  high 
lifts  adopted  are  in  every  way  feasible,  cheaper  to  construct,  and  bet¬ 
ter  adapted  to  the  use  of  navigation  than  those  heretofore  in  com¬ 
mon  use. 

GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  LOCKS. 

Under  this  head  it  may  be  well  first  to  repeat  the  lateral  dimensions 
already  given. 

For  the  21-foot  waterway:  All  locks  to  be  600  feet  long  between 
quoins  of  lock  gates  and  GO  feet  wide. 

For  the  30-foot  waterway:  Single  locks  to  be  740  feet  long  between 
quoins  of  lock  gates  and  80  feet  wide.  Where  two  or  more  lifts  are 
combined  into  a  flight,  two  lines  of  locks  are  provided.  The  locks  in 
one  line  have  the  same  dimensions  as  single  locks;  in  the  other  line 
the  length  remains  the  same,  but  the  width  is  reduced  to  GO  feet.  All 
single  locks  and  combined  locks,  not  exceeding  two  lifts  in  series,  are 
provided  with  intermediate  gates  dividing  the  chamber  into  two 
unequal  parts,  so  that  the  entire  lock  or  a  part  thereof  can  be  used. 

Iu  both  the  21  -foot  and  the  30-foot  waterways  guard  gates  are  placed 


144 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


at.  the  head  and  foot  of  each  single  lock  and  at  the  head  and  foot  of 
each  flight,  so  that  any  lock  can  he  quickly  prepared  for  pumping  out 
or  draining.  This  provision  is  made  in  all  the  locks  at  Sault  Ste. 
Marie  and  has  proved  valuable. 

The  lock  walls  are  designed  to  resist  overturning  by  gravity  alone, 
except  at  the  gate  recesses  of  the  middle  wall  separating  the  double 
flight  on  the  Lasalle-Lewiston  line.  At  these  places  if  one  of  the  locks 
is  pumped  out  while  the  opposite  one  is  in  operation,  a  contingency 
very  1  i kely  to  arise,  t lie  thickness  adopted  is  not  quite  sufficient  to 
wholly  prevent  tension  in  the  masonry.  Three  alternatives  were  con¬ 
sidered  to  meet  this:  First,  to  introduce  enough  steel  members  in 
the  base  of  the  wall  to  take  the  tension.  The  cost  of  this  would  be 
$163,200  for  t lie  entire' line.  Second,  to  increase  the  thickness  for  a 
length  of  120  feet  at  the  gates.  This  would  make  the  chambers  of  the 
locks  several  feet  wider  than  the  entrances  to  them,  The  increased 
width  would  not  facilitate  the  passage  of  ships  in  any  respect,  but,  on 
the  contrary,  would  delay  them  by  reason  of  the  greater  time  required 
for  filling  and  emptying  locks.  This  alternative  was  therefore  re¬ 
jected.  Third,  to  increase  the  thickness  of  the  middle  wall  for  its 
whole  length,  the  thickness  at  the  gates  recesses  being  the  same  as  in 
the  preceding  alternative,  making  it  a  gravity  section,  but  with  a  large 
surplus  over  theoretical  requirements  everywhere  except  at  the  gates. 
The  cost  of  the  additional  thickness  would  be  about  $542,400  for  the 
entire  line.  It  would  exceed  the  cost  of  the  first  alternative  by 
$379,200.  The  first  alternative  was  therefore  adopted. 

All  lock  floors  are  in  the  form  of  inverts.  At  the  head  and  foot  of 
each  lock  the  thickness  of  the  invert  is  sufficient  to  withstand  the 
maximum  difference  in  head  at  the  gates.  In  the  interior  of  the  cham¬ 
ber  the  thickness  is  reduced,  the  amount  of  reduction  depending  on 
the  character  of  the  rock  foundation.  The  strength  of  the  inverts  as 
shown  on  the  plans  is  doubtless  excessive  where  rock  is  sound,  but 
without  further  information  by  means  of  borings  with  the  diamond 
drill  or  actual  examination  of  the  excavated  lock  pits  it  is  not  prudent 
to  make  a  close  estimate  in  this  respect.  An  additional  reason  for 
this  liberal  provision  is  found  in  the  fact  that  lock  excavation  and 
construction  is  work  of  an  extremely  hazardous  nature  with  large 
contingencies,  and  if  economies  may  be  effected  in  some  localities  in 
the  extent  and  cost  of  inverts  they  are  likely  to  be  balanced  by  unex¬ 
pected  difficulties  and  expenses  in  other  localities. 

CULVERTS  FOR  FILLING  AND  EMPTYING  LOCKS. 

For  tilling  and  emptying  the  locks  a  culvert  87  square  feet  in  cross 
section  is  placed  in  each  wall,  extending  its  whole  length.  Each  cul¬ 
vert  communicates  with  the  chamber  through  a  large  number  of  small 
branches,  each  9  square  feet  in  cross  section.  The  combined  area  of 
the  cross  sections  of  the  branches  is  about  double  the  cross  section  of 
the  culverts,  this  excess  being  provided  in  order  to  reduce  the  force 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


145 


of  the  currents  into  the  lock.  The  spacing  between  the  branches 
becomes  less  toward  the  foot  of  the  lock,  because  the  amount  of  water 
issuing  from  each  in  filling  diminishes  from  the  head  toward  the  foot, 
and  it  is  desirable  to  make  the  amount  of  discharge  from  the  culverts 
as  nearly  uniform  as  practicable  per  unit  of  length. 

The  culverts  are  of  the  same  dimensions  for  locks  of  all  sizes.  It 
may  be  asked  why  larger  culverts  were  not  used  for  the  larger  locks. 
The  speed  of  filling,  when  the  culverts  are  properly  designed,  is  not 
limited  by  the  behavior  of  ships  in  the  locks,  but  by  the  effect  of  the 
current  caused  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  This  effect  is  practically 
independent  of  the  area  of  the  locks.  The  culverts  adopted  are  be¬ 
lieved  to  be  as  large  as  it  is  prudent  to  make  them.  If  the  principle 
of  dimensioning  the  culverts  according  to  the  currents  induced  in  the 
waterway  were  carried  out  rigidly  it  would  lead  to  a  reduction  of  size 
of  culvert  with  increase  in  lift  of  lock;  but  this  would  greatly  increase 
the  time  required  for  filling  or  emptying  high-lift  locks.  The  difficulty 
can  be  met  by  opening  the  culverts  only  partially  until  the  first  and 
strongest  rush  of  water  is  past. 

The  culverts  at  the  inlets  and  for  some  distance  inward  are  to  be 
lined  with  granite;  the  remainder,  and  greater  part,  of  the  length  of 
the  main  culverts  is  to  be  lined  with  hard  brick,  equal  in  quality  fo 
the  best  paving  brick.  This  is  in  conformity  with  the  practice  at  the 
Manchester  Canal.  The  branches  from  the  culverts  to  the  lock  cham¬ 
bers  are  to  be  lined  with  cast  iron.  These  branches  are  of  smaller 
dimensions  than  usual  in  foreign  practice.  It  will  be  noted  that  in 
height  and  direction  they  are  designed  to  discharge  under  the  hull  of 
a  ship  lying  in  the  lock,  not  against  it.  In  the  locks  of  greatest  lift  it 
may  possibly  be  necessary  to  line  the  culverts  with  cast  iron.  The 
upper  lock  of  the  Lewiston  flight  will  be  filled,  and  the  lower  emptied 
with  a  maximum  head  of  40  feet,  while  in  the  intermediate  locks  the 
maximum  head  will  be  80  feet.  The  current  due  to  a  head  of  80  feet 
will  have  twice  the  velocity  and  four  times  the  destructive  effect  of  one 
due  to  20-foot  head.  A  continuous  culvert  lining  of  1^  inches  of  cast 
iron,  with  50  per  cent  added  for  flanges  and  stiffening  ribs,  would  weigh 
about  3,000,000  pounds  per  lock,  and  would  add  about  $90,000  to  its 
cost.  For  the  six  locks  of  the  Lewiston  flight  and  the  two  combined 
locks  of  40  feet  each  near  the  foot  of  the  Lasalle-Lewiston  route  the 
additional  cost  would  be  about  $1,440,000. 

The  inlets  and  outlets  of  the  culverts  are  designed  to  impede  the  flow 
of  water  as  little  as  practicable.  The  water  for  filling  a  single  lock,  or 
the  upper  lock  of  a  flight,  is  received  immediately  above  the  gate  and 
discharged  along  the  chamber,  the  average  movement  of  water  from 
the  pool  above  the  gates  to  the  chamber  being  about  half  the  length 
of  the  lock.  The  water  travels  about  the  same  distance  in  the  culvert 
in  emptying  a  single  lock  or  the  lower  lock  of  a  flight. 

In  these  cases  a  coefficient  of  0.75  is  applied  to  the  theoretical 
II.  Doc.  149 - 10 


146 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


velocity  in  calculating  time  required  for  filling  or  emptying  a  lock. 
This  is  considerably  larger  than  that  deduced  from  observations  on 
the  locks  of  the  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal,  where  the  design  of  the  cul¬ 
verts  is  such  that  the  loss  of  head  is  very  great.  It  is  somewhat  less 
than  that  observed  by  General  Abbot  at  the  Manchester  Canal,  where 
the  culverts  are  carefully  designed  to  avoid  loss  of  head.  For  the  fill¬ 
ing  and  emptying  of  intermediate  locks  in  a  flight  the  average  travel 
of  water  in  the  culverts  is  a  full  lock  length;  the  coefficient  of  velocity 
should  therefore  be  smaller  and  is  taken  at  0.66. 

The  valves  or  gates  for  opening  and  closing  the  culverts  are  to  be 
placed  in  the  main  culverts  near  the  lock  gates.  They  are  designed 
to  be  of  the  form  known  as  Stoney  sluices,  counterbalanced,  and 
moving  on  live  rollers  to  reduce  friction. 

CHARACTER  OF  MASONRY. 

All  the  masonry  of  the  locks  except  the  culvert  linings  already  men¬ 
tioned,  the  hollow  quoins,  and  the  upper  portions  of  the  miter  sill  walls 
is  to  be  of  concrete.  A  thickness  of  about  2  feet  in  the  face  of  the 
lock  walls  and  all  the  concrete  in  the  miter  sills,  head  wall,  and  invert 
are  designed  to  be  of  concrete  containing  mortar  of  one  packed  volume 
of  Portland  cement  to  two  packed  volumes  of  sand,  with  as  much 
stone  as  practicable.  A  cheaper  concrete,  containing  1 :  3  mortar  with 
Portland  cement,  will  suffice  for  the  body  of  the  main  walls,  and  a  still 
cheaper  mixture,  made  with  natural  cement,  is  intended  for  a  small 
portion  of  the  middle  wall  between  duplicate  locks,  where  weight  only 
is  needed. 

LOCK  GATES. 

The  lock  gates  are  designed  to  be  of  steel.  Excepting  the  interme¬ 
diate  gates  of  the  40-foot  lifts  on  the  Niagara  Canal  lines,  there  is  no 
air  chamber,  the  skin  being  on  the  upstream  side  only  and  the  gate 
hangings  having  ample  strength  to  sustain  the  entire  weight.  In  the 
excepted  cases  a  small  air  chamber  is  provided  near  the  bottom  of 
the  gate.  The  design  of  the  gates  and  the  t.lieoiy  of  strains  in  them 
have  received,  it  is  believed,  more  careful,  extended,  and  practical 
study  than  heretofore  given  to  the  subject.  (See  Appendix  No.  2.) 
Miter  gates,  single-leaf  swinging  gates,  and  single-leaf  rolling  or  sliding 
gates  were  designed  and  compared,  resulting  in  the  selection  of  the 
standard  miter  gates.  The  design  adopted  is  of  simple  outline,  with 
cheap  shop  details  and  of  ample  strength. 

OPERATING  MACHINERY. 

It  lias  not  seemed  necessary  to  take  up  the  subject  of  operating 
machinery  in  detail.  It  appears  probable  that  electrical  machinery 
will  be  found  most  suitable,  but  the  development  in  this  line  is  so 
rapid  that  any  design  made  now  would  almost  certainly  be  out  of 
date  in  less  than  five  years.  It  has  therefore  seemed  more  judicious 
to  merely  include  in  the  estimate  a  lump  sum  sufficient  to  provide 
hydraulic  or  pneumatic  machinery  of  ordinary  character. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


147 


ESTIMATE  OF  COST. 

The  details  of  the  estimate  of  cost  of  a  standard  lock  of  20  feet  lift 
and  of  the  upper  flight  at  Lewiston,  for  both  depths  of  channel, 
are  given  in  the  folloAving  tables.  Excavation  and  back  filling  are 
not  included,  but  are  provided  for  in  the  general  estimates  for  the 
waterway. 

Table  No.  1. — Cost  of  standard  single  lock  of  20  feet  lift  vnth  intermediate  gates. 

[Thirty-foot  channel.] 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Portland-cement  concrete . 

Granite  miter  sills . 

Granite  hollow  quoins  and  culvert  linings... 

Brick . . . 

Structural  steel . 

Steel  castings.. . . 

Steel  forgings . 

Bronze  bushings. . 

Iron  anchor  bolts . 

Iron  port  castings . 

Cast  iron  pipe . . . 

Timber,  oak. . 

. do  — 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. pounds.. 

. do _ 

. do 

. do _ 

. do - 

...1,000  feet  B.  M_. 

134,007 
585 
933 
1,417 
2,209,000 
83,200 
12, 100 
3, 900 
98,560 
342,000 
17, 415 
60. 204 

$6. 00 
45.00 
55.00 
12.00 
.05 
.06 
.10 
.40 
.03 
.025 
.014 
50.00 

$804,042 
26, 325 
51,315 
17,  (Hit 
110, 450 
4.992 
1,210 
1,560 
2, 957 
8,550 
244 
3,010 

Total  cost  _  _  _  _  .  _  _  _ 

1,031,659 

Table  No.  2. — Cost  of  a  standard  single  lock  of  20  feet  lift. 


[Twenty-one-foot  channel.] 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Portland-cement  concrete . cubic  yards. . 

Granite  miter  sills . do _ 

Granite  hollow  quoins  and  culvert  linings . do - 

Structural  steel . . . pounds.. 

Steel  castings .  do - 

Steel  forgings  . . . . do - 

Bronze  bushings . do  — 

Iron  anchor  bolts . do — 

Iron  port  castings . . . . . do _ 

Cast-iron  pipe . . . do - 

Timber,  oak. . . . 1,000  feetB.  M  . 

Total  cost . . . . . . . ^  _ . 

83.200 
347 
614 

1,215 

946,000 

63.200 
9,200 
2,800 

63, 040 
273, 600 
11. 880 
34.  776 

$6.00 
45.00 
55. 00 
12.00 
.05 
.06 
.10 
.40 
.03 
.025 
.014 
50.00 

$499, 200 
15, 615 
33, 770 
14,580 
47,300 
3,792 
920 
1,120 
1,891 
6, 840 
166 
1,739 

626, 933 

Table  No.  3. — Cost  of  Lewiston  flight  of  6  locks,  lifts  40  feet  each. 


[Thirty-foot  channel.] 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Portland  cement  concrete . 

1,654,819 

$6. 00 

$9,928,914 

Natural  cement  concrete  . 

. do _ 

145,567 

3.00 

4:36, 701 

Granite  miter  stills . . . . . 

. . do _ 

2,789 

45.00 

125, 505 

Granite  hollow  quoins  and  culvert  linings . 

. do _ 

8,707 

55. 00 

478,885 

Brick . 

15, 985 

12. 00 

191,820 

Structural  steel . . . 

12, 488, 100 

.05 

624,405 

Steel  castings . . 

. do _ 

3,648,660 

.06 

218,92(1 

Steel  forgings . . . 

. do - 

45,000 

.10 

4, 500 

Bronze  bushings . . 

. do - 

15,000 

.40 

6,000 

Steel  in  middle  wall . . . 

4.080,000 

.03 

122,400 

Iron  anchor  bolts . 

. do _ 

397.600 

.03 

11.928 

Iron  port  castings . 

. do - 

4, 185, 000 

.025 

104,625 

Cast  iron  pipe . 

. do _ 

2, 243. 895 

.014 

31,415 

Cast  iron  in  stairs . 

. do - 

172,800 

.03 

5, 184 

Timber,  oak . 

. ‘B.  M.. 

108. 144 

50. 00 

5,407 

. 

12, 296, 609 

1  1,000  feet. 


148 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Table  No.  4. — Cost  of  Lewiston  flight  of  6  locks,  lifts  40  feet  each. 

[Twenty-one  foot  channel.] 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Portland  cement  concrete . cubic  yards.. 

Natural  cement  concrete . do _ 

Granite  miter  sills . . . . . .  . ...do _ 

Granite  hollow  quoins  and  culvert  linings . . do _ 

Brick . do _ 

Structural  steel . pounds.. 

Steel  castings . do  — 

Steel  forgings . do - 

Bronze  bushings . do - 

Iron  anchor  bolts  . . do _ 

Iron  port  castings . do _ 

Cast  iron  pipe  . . do ... . 

Cast  iron  in  stairs . .do _ 

Timber,  oak . iB.M.. 

Total  cost  _ _ _ _ - . . 

1,079,580 
93,721 
2,348 
8. 193 
12,  209 
8,686,000 
2, 754.  600 
45,  000 
14,600 
364, 480 
3,364,200 
1,902,060 
172,  800 
153, 992 

$6.00 
3.00 
45. 00 
55.00 
12. 00 
.05 
.06 
.10 
.40 
.03 
.025 
.014 
.03 
50.00 

$6, 477, 480 
281, 163 
105, 661 1 
450, 615 
147. 228 
434,300 
165,276 
4, 500 
5, 840 
10, 034 
84, 105 
26,629 
5, 184 
7, 700 

8,206,614 

1  1,000  feet. 


Respectfully  submitted. 


Alfred  Noble. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  2. 

LOCK  GATES. 

Detroit,  Mich.,  June  1,  1900. 

Gentlemen:  I  submit  the  following  report  upon  the  work  done  in 
making  designs  and  estimates  of  the  gates  to  be  used  in  the  locks  of 
the  various  deep  waterway  routes  investigated  by  the  Board : 

As  a  preparation  for  the  design  of  the  gates,  the  plans  of  many 
existing  large  locks  were  carefully  studied  and  the  literature  upon 
the  subject,  both  in  English  and  in  foreign  languages,  was  made  the 
subject  of  an  extended  research.  A  list  of  the  authorities  consulted 
upon  the  subject  of  mitering  gates  is  given  at  the  end  of  this  report, 
with  a  brief  note  in  regard  to  each.  It  is  believed  that  the  list  is 
quite  complete,  covering  nearly  all  that  has  been  written  upon  the 
subject. 

An  investigation  was  made  to  determine  whether  some  one  of  the 
numerous  forms  of  single-leaf  gate  or  the  mitering  gate  is  the  more 
desirable  tjqoe  for  the  work  in  hand.  The  result  was  the  adoption  of 
the  mitering  gate  as  a  basis  of  the  designs  and  estimates. 

A  study  was  then  made  of  the  relative  merits  of  the  horizontal  and 
vertical  systems  of  framing  for  mitering  gates,  resulting  in  the  adop¬ 
tion  of  the  horizontal  system. 

Steel  mitering  gates  of  the  horizontally  framed  type  having  been 
decided  upon,  a  lengthy  investigation  was  made  to  determine  the  rise 
of  sill  and  the  form,  whether  girder  or  arch,  of  horizontal  frame  which 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


149 


will  give  the  best  results  when  economy  of  construction  and  facility 
of  operation  are  considered.  The  question  of  the  relative  economy 
of  the  arch  and  girder  form  of  horizontal  frame  has  been  a  mooted 
one  for  a  long  time.  The  result  of  the  investigation  was  the  adoption 
of  a  rise  of  sill  of  one-fifth  the  width  of  the  lock  for  all  cases,  and  the 
adoption  of  a  horizontal  frame  straight  on  the  downstream  side  and 
curved  on  the  upstream  side,  with  depths  varying  for  different  widths 
of  lock. 

This  is  the  so-called  girder  type.  It  was  found  that  it  presents 
advantages  of  greater  stiffness  and  requires  a  shallower  recess  in  the 
side  wall  than  the  arch  form,  and  that,  considering  the  state  of  the 
labor  and  steel  markets  at  the  present  time  and  during  the  last 
decade,  it  is  actually  cheaper. 

The  detailed  design  of  the  gates  for  the  GO  and  80  foot  locks,  21  and 
30  feet  depth  of  water  on  sill  and  lifts  varying  from  10  to  50  feet,  was 
then  proceeded  with.-  The  accompanying  general  drawings,  plates 
70,  71,  72,  73,  and  74,  show  typical  designs  for  a  number  of  cases. 
While  only  a  limited  number  of  drawings  are  shown,  it  is  believed 
that  they  give  all  the  important  features  of  the  design. 

For  the  quoin  and  miter  posts,  wooden-bearing  pieces  were  used  on 
gates  having  the  lighter  pressures,  but  it  was  found  necessary  to  use 
metal  in  some  of  the  gates  for  locks  of  very  high  lifts. 

A  study  was  made  of  the  variation  in  the  position  of  the  center  of 
pressure  at  the  miter  and  its  influence  in  determining  the  most  eco¬ 
nomical  form  of  horizontal  frame.  The  results  of  this  study  are  given 
later. 

The  use  of  air  chambers  and  rollers  to  reduce  the  reaction  upon  the 
anchorage  and  pivot  was  considered  and  rejected  except  in  the  case 
of  gates  weighing  more  than  500,000  pounds  per  leaf,  in  which  case 
the  lower  part  of  the  gate  is  inclosed,  but  rollers  have  not  been  adopted 
even  for  these  extreme  conditions. 

The  method  of  proportioning  the  girders  is  given  in  some  detail  in 
a  subsequent  section  of  this  report. 

Although  tlic  gates  are  of  t lie  horizontally-framed  type,  there  must 
necessarily  be  a  few  verticals.  What  the  action  of  these  verticals  is, 
and  what  effect  they  have  upon  the  distribution  of  loads  between  the 
horizontals,  is  a  very  complicated  problem,  and  considerable  time  has 
been  given  to  its  solution  by  several  different  methods. 

For  the  purpose  of  an  estimate,  a  large  number  of  gates  were 
designed  in  detail  and  their  weights  carefully  computed.  The  law  of 
variation  of  weight  of  gates  for  different  widths  and  lifts  of  lock  and 
depth  of  water  on  sill  was  discovered  and  some  general  equations 
giving  the  weight  of  gates  for  any  width  of  opening,  depth  of  water 
on  sill,  and  lift  of  lock  within  limits  were  derived. 

The  foregoing  is  a  brief  statement  of  the  work  done  and  the  results 
obtained. 


150 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Following  will  be  found,  under  their  proper  heads,  detailed  discus¬ 
sions  of  the  points  mentioned  above. 

CHOICE  OF  TYPE. 


Besides  the  ordinary  double-leaf  mitering  gate,  which  has  been  used 
so  long  and  so  exclusively  that  it  has  become  the  standard  form,  there 
are  numerous  forms  of  single-leaf  gate.  The  differences  between  these 
various  forms  depend  entirely  upon  the  method  by  which  they  are 
moved  into  and  out  of  place. 

The  sliding  gate  moves  endwise  into  a  recess  in  the  side  wall  of  the 
lock.  The  lifting  gate  moves  vertically  upward,  and  the  plunging 
gate  vertically  downward.  The  single-leaf  swinging  gate  revolves 
about  a  vertical  axis  at  one  of  its  ends,  and  the  quadrant  gate  about  a 
vertical  axis  in  the  center  line  of  the  lock  at  a  distance  from  the  gate 
of  the  half  width  of  the  lock.  The  tumble  gate  revolves  about  a  hori¬ 
zontal  axis  at  its  lower  edge.  The  bascule  gate  revolves  about  a  hori¬ 
zontal  axis  at  one  of  its  lower  corners,  operating  like  the  bridge  of  the 
same  name. 

All  the  above  forms  of  gate  have  been  proposed,  and  most  of  them 
have  been  used. 

All  forms  of  single-leaf  gates  possess  in  common  the  advantage  of 
allowing  a  somewhat  clearer  and  more  definite  analysis  to  be  made 
of  their  stresses  than  does  the  mitering  gate,  and  also  the  advantage 
of  allowing  simpler  operating  machinery. 

For  the  work  in  hand  the  lifting  gate  could  not  be  used  on  account 
of  the  masted  vessels  which  will  use  the  locks. 

The  plunging  gate  is  practically  untried  and  presents  serious  dif¬ 
ficulties  in  the  problem  of  keeping  clean  the  pit  into  which  it  descends, 
and  in  most  cases  the  masonry  would  cost  more  than  for  mitering 
gates.  A  roller  bearing  similar  to  that  used  in  the  Stoney  sluice 
gate  is  usually  introduced,  which  gives  the  gate  the  advantage  of 
being  moved  rapidly  and  operated  under  much  greater  head  of  water 


than  the  mitering  gate. 

The  sliding  gate  has  been  used  in  numerous  cases  in  Europe  and 
presents  many  advantages,  chief  of  which  is  its  ease  of  movement,  as 
it  is  pulled  endwise,  thus  offering  less  resistance  to  the  water  than  it 
would  if  moved  in  any  other  direction.  In  a  tidal  lock  it  is  especially 
adaptable,  since  it  will  withstand  a  pressure  from  either  side.  The 
gate  may  move  on  trucks  or  rollers  on  its  bottom,  or  it  may  be  sus¬ 
pended  from  above  and  run  upon  a  fixed  or  a  swing  bridge. 

The  single-leaf  swinging  gate  possesses  the  merit  of  reliability  and 
of  easily  analyzed  stresses,  but  is  not  economical,  is  slow  of  move¬ 
ment,  requires  much  more  power  to  operate  it,  and  when  used  for  a 
lower  gate  it  reduces  greatly  the  effective  length  of  the  lock. 

The  tumble  gate  has  the  advantage  of  easily  analyzed  stresses, 
simnle  masonry,  and  for  low  lifts  it  is  quickly  moved  and  is  eco- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


151 


nomical  of  masonry,  but  it  requires  a  pit  in  the  bottom  of  the  lock 
which  is  not  easily  cleaned.  It  is  more  particularly  adapted  for 
upper  gates  in  the  case  of  high-lift  locks.  When  used  as  a  lower 
gate  it  decreases  too  much  the  effective  length  of  the  lock.  It  has 
been  used  abroad  and  upon  the  Erie  Canal  in  this  country. 

The  advantages  claimed  for  the  quadrant  gate  are  that  it  is  quick 
of  operation,  and  gives  a  maximum  effective  length  of  lock  with 
minimum  cost  of  masonry.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  as  yet  untried, 
and,  considered  with  respect  to  its  stresses,  it  is  unscientific,  since  its 
reactions  on  the  side  walls  are  in  a  direction  to  increase  the  bending 
movement  upon  the  horizontal  girders,  and,  unlike  all  other  forms  of 
single-leaf  gate,  its  reaction  has  a  component  normal  to  the  side  wall. 

The  bascule  gate  has  been  hardly  more  than  suggested.  It  has  no 
apparent  advantages  over  the  other  forms  of  gate. 

Designs  and  careful  estimates  were  made  of  a  single-leaf  swinging 
gate,  a  single-leaf  sliding  gate,  and  a  mitering  gate,  all  for  the  same 
location,  and  it  was  found  that  they  did  not  differ  materially  in  weight. 

The  form  of  gate  which  would  actually  cost  least  will  not  be  the 
same  in  different  cases,  but  will  vary  with  the  width  and  depth  of 
opening  and  lift  of  lock  and  with  local  conditions,  but  the  difference 
of  cost  between  any  two  of  these  forms  of  gate  will  not  be  great. 

Speed  of  operation,  reliability,  and  immunity  from  accident  are  more 
important  considerations  than  first  cost. 

The  mitering  gate  lias  stood  the  most  rigid  test,  the  test  of  time,  and 
is  practically  the  standard  form  of  gate  for  locks.  Its  use  shows  no 
sign  of  abatement,  and,  as  all  the  forms  of  single-leaf  gates  are  more 
or  less  untried  for  large  locks,  it  was  deemed  best  to  make  the  miter¬ 
ing  gate  the  basis  of  estimate  for  the  present  work. 

MATERIAL. 

The  choice  of  material  for  the  gates  lay  between  wood  and  steel. 

Wood  has  been  used  almost  exclusively  for  small  gates,  and  for  large 
gates  it  has  had  its  full  share  of  favor.  In  this  country,  where  timber 
is  abundant,  it  has  been  used  and  has  given  excellent  satisfaction,  but 
like  the  wooden  bridge,  its  use  is  on  the  decline,  and  the  more  recent 
large  gates  have  been  built  of  steel. 

In  England,  however,  although  timber  for  gates  has  to  be  imported, 
it  is  still  used  quite  as  much  as  steel,  even  for  the  largest  gates.  A 
case  in  hand  is  the  Manchester  Ship  Canal,  which  has  all  its  gates 
built  of  green  heart  timber. 

The  advantages  of  timber  for  gates  are  its  lightness  when  sub¬ 
merged,  its  ease  of  repair  in  case  of  accident,  and  in  many  localities 
its  low  first  cost.  On  the  other  hand,  the  life  of  a  timber  gate  is  com¬ 
paratively  short.  It  begins  usually  to  show  weakness  after  from  ten 
to  fifteen  years,  involving  repairs,  and  requiring  to  be  renewed  after 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  years. 


152 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Steel  for  gates  is  more  in  favor  than  wood  in  this  country,  and  is 
preferred  about  equally  in  England,  while  on  the  Continent  of  Europe 
it  is  used  exclusively. 

When  designed  to  admit  of  inspection  and  painting,  steel  gates  are 
much  more  enduring.  Some  of  the  early  examples  show  little  rust¬ 
ing  after  thirty  years. 

The  chance  of  accident  is  not  believed  to  be  great  enough  to  war¬ 
rant  the  use  of  wood  on  account  of  its  ease  of  repair.  In  many  of  the 
proposed  locks  for  the  deep  waterways  the  lift  is  so  great  that  it  would 
be  almost  impossible  to  provide  the  necessary  strength  in  a  wooden 
gate.  For  these  reasons,  and  because  steel  is,  structurally,  a  much 
better  material  than  wood,  steel  gates  have  been  designed  for  all  the 
locks.1 

RISE  OF  SILL. 

The  principal  functions  of  the  two  leaves  of  the  mitering  gate  when 
closed  is  to  form  an  arch,  which  takes  the  water  pressure  and  transfers 
it  to  the  side  walls. 

What  the  rise  of  this  arch  shall  be  is  a  question  of  some  importance. 
The  weight  of  the  gate  depends  somewhat  upon  the  rise  of  sill,  but, 
as  will  be  seen  from  the  tables  given  under  the  head  of  “  shape  of 
horizontal  frames,”  only  to  a  slight  extent.  There  are  more  impor¬ 
tant  practical  considerations  which  decide  the  question. 

The  less  the  rise  of  sill  the  longer  will  be  the  time  required  to  open 
and  close  the  gate,  and  the  greater  will  be  the  thrust  upon  the  masonry 
and  the  effect  of  any  change  in  the  length  of  the  gate  due  to  change 
of  temperature.  On  the  other  hand,  the  greater  the  rise  of  sill 
the  longer  the  gate  and  consequently  the  shorter  the  effective  length 
of  the  lock,  and  if  the  gate  be  economically  designed  the  deeper  will 
be  the  gate  and  gate  recesses. 

The  choice  of  rise  of  sill,  then,  becomes  a  compromise  between  the 
above  advantages  and  disadvantages.  Inasmuch  as  a  rise  of  one- 
fifth  the  width  of  lock  seems  to  best  satisfy  the  practical  considera¬ 
tions  and  also  to  require  a  somewhat  lighter  gate  than  any  other,  it 
has  been  used  for  all  the  gates  designed. 

AIR  CHAMBERS. 

If  the  gate  is  not  otherwise  supported  the  pivot  must,  carry  the  total 
weight  of  the  gate  less  whatever  flotation  it  may  have,  and,  besides, 
both  pivot  and  upper  hinge  sustain  horizontal  reactions  of  consider¬ 
able  magnitude. 

Two  methods  have  been  followed  to  relieve  the  pivot  upper  hinge. 

The  first  is  to  place  under  the  gate  a  roller,  which  runs  upon  a  track 
in  the  bottom  of  the  lock  and  carries  part  of  the  weight  of  the  gate. 
This  device  has  been  used  with  timber  gates  quite  extensively,  espe- 


'Franzius.  Der  Wasserbau,  p.  113  (Handbucli  der  Baukunde  Abtk  III). 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


153 


cially  in  England,  but  the  custom  is  being  discontinued.  In  order 
that  the  rollers  shall  work  perfectly  the  axis  of  rotation  of  the  gate 
must  be  perpendicular  to  the  plane  of  the  roller’s  track.  Any  inex¬ 
actness  in  this  plane  or  settling  of  the  track  may  make  the  roller 
useless.  Wearing  of  the  roller  bearing  may  do  the  same. 

The  second  method  of  reducing  the  reactions  at  the  upper-hinge 
pivot  is  to  place  a  water-tight  sheathing  on  both  sides  of  the  gate, 
forming  an  air  chamber,  which  supports  the  gate  by  buoyancy.  This 
method  is  quite  generally  used.  It  has,  however,  many  serious  dis¬ 
advantages.  As  gates  with  sheathing  on  both  sides  have  usually 
been  built,  their  interiors  have  been  very  difficult  to  inspect,  clean, 
and  paint,  on  account  of  the  too  confined  space  for  efficient  work  and 
especially  the  difficulty  of  ventilation  while  painting.  The  result  lias 
been  that  many  inclosed  gates  have  been  left  without  painting  of 
their  interiors  during  their  entire  life,  which  was  materially  shortened 
thereby. 

The  gates  sheathed  on  both  sides  are  more  expensive  because  the 
shop  work  and  assembling  of  parts  is  more  difficult;  there  are  more 
joints  to  calk  and  the  calking  of  joints  must  be  done  with  greater  care, 
and  because  the  extra  sheathing,  especially  when  horizontal  frames 
straight  on  the  downstream  side  are  used,  adds  weight  and  little  or 
no  strength. 

The  pivot  and  upper  hinge  must  be  made  strong  enough  to  sustain 
the  reaction  of  the  gate  when  it  is  swung  in  air  at  times  when  the  lock 
is  pumped  out,  therefore  the  pivot  can  not  lie  made  much  smaller 
when  double  sheathing  is  used  than  when  it  is  not. 

It  would  seem  that  the  gate  with  a  single  sheathing  is  preferable  in 
every  way,  provided  the  pivot  is  not  overstrained  and  its  size  is  not 
impracticable. 

All  the  gates  designed,  with  the  exception  of  a  single  case,  have,  as 
the  drawings  show,  sheathing  on  one  side  only,  leaving  the  interior 
open  and  allowing  of  inspection  and  painting  at  all  times.  This 
results  in  a  very  simple  construction,  which  will  cost  little  more  than 
ordinary  bridge  work. 

The  single  case  for  which  it  was  thought  necessary  to  provide  addi¬ 
tional  buoyancy  is  that  of  the  gates  between  the  locks  of  the  flights 
in  the  canal  around  Niagara  Falls.  Plate  71  shows  a  typical  gate  for 
this  case.  These  gates  withstand  at  times  a  head  of  water  of  75  feet, 
and  are  unusually  heavy  in  consequence.  In  these  gates  the  sheath¬ 
ing  on  the  downstream  side  is  below  the  lower  pool  only,  leaving  all 
the  upper  part  of  the  gate  open. 

In  the  chamber  or  hold  thus  formed  a  system  of  manholes  is  pro¬ 
vided,  which  it  is  believed  will  partially  overcome  the  principal  disad¬ 
vantage,  except  that  of  greater  first  cost,  of  the  double-skin  gate. 

Four  manholes  are  provided  in  all  the  horizontal  frames  in  the  air 
chamber.  The  manholes  in  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  chamber  have 


154 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


covers,  the  others  are  open.  By  removing  the  covers  four  shafts  will 
be  formed,  in  which  it  is  expected  a  draft  will  be  established,  thus 
ventilating  the  interior  and  from  which  all  parts  of  the  chambers  may 
be  reached  for  cleaning  and  painting. 

QUOIN  POST. 

The  function  of  the  quoin  post  is  fourfold.  It  must  act  as  a  column 
in  carrying  the  weight  of  the  gate;  it  must  act  as  a  girder  transversely 
to  the  gate  and  also  in  the  plane  of  the  lines  of  thrust  of  the  hori¬ 
zontal  frames  and  distribute  the  pressure  along  the  quoin;  and  withal 
it  must  furnish  a  satisfactory  closure  between  the  gate  and  wall. 

The  post  as  designed  consists  of  a  very  thick  web  plate  with  four 
heavy  flange  angles.  This  forms  the  vertical  girder  acting  trans¬ 
versely  to  the  gate.  To  the  flanges  of  this  girder  and  lapping  well 
upon  the  horizontal  frames  are  riveted  a  heavy  36-inch  plate  on  the 
upstream  side  and  a  42-incli  plate  on  the  downstream  side,  which  dis¬ 
tribute  the  thrust  of  the  horizontal  frames. 

It  is  deemed  advisable  to  make  the  hollow  quoin  of  stone  and  the 
bearing  pieces  of  the  quoin  posts  of  wood,  except  in  the  heaviest  gates, 
where  metal  is  used.  In  most  of  the  gates  designed  the  thrust  in  the 
quoin  is  so  great  that  the  required  bearing  area  demanded  by  the 
masonry  is  very  large.  A  large  bearing  can  be  provided  much  more 
cheaply  and  satisfactorily  by  the  use  of  wood  than  by  steel  for  the 
bearing  part  of  the  post. 

Wood  is  easily  shaped.  It  adjusts  itself  to  any  unevenness  or  errors 
of  workmanship  and  is  more  easily  repaired  or  replaced  in  case  of 
accident  or  wear. 

As  the  drawings  show,  the  wood  is  made  cylindrical  on  the  back  to 
a  radius  of  15. 5  inches,  giving  a  projected  width  of  bearing  of  23  inches. 

The  axis  of  rotation  has  1  inch  eccentricity  from  the  center  of 
the  cylinder.  Thus  the  wood  is  relieved  from  bearing  as  soon  as  the 
gate  begins  to  be  opened.  The  eccentricity  being  small,  there  is  very 
little  chance  for  any  foreign  substance  to  lodge  between  the  wood  and 
masonry. 

Some  designers  have  maintained  that  the  bearing  surface  should  be 
flat  instead  of  curved  on  account  of  the  tendency  of  the  curved  bear¬ 
ing  piece  to  split  the  quoin  stones  by  its  action  as  a  wedge.  This  tend¬ 
ency  may  be  entirely  overcome  by  cutting  the  quoin  stones  so  that 
the  reactions  at  their  backs  will  introduce  a  bending  movement  which 
shall  nearly  or  quite  balance  that  due  to  the  thrust  of  the  quoin  post. 
Such  a  shape  of  quoin  stones  is  shown  on  plate  68.  Fortunately  this 
is  the  most  natural  shape  to  give  them. 

From  the  consideration  of  the  quoin  post  itself  the  cylindrical  form 
has  every  advantage.  Much  greater  width  of  bearing  can  be  provided 
by  its  use  than  with  the  flat  form,  since  the  width  of  a  flat  bearing  is 
limited  by  the  consideration  that  the  center  of  rotation  must  lie  on 
the  upstream  side  of  a  perpendicular  to  the  bearing  plane  erected  at 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


155 


its  upstream  edge.  The  principal  advantage,  however,  of  the  cylin¬ 
drical  bearing  piece  is  the  fact  that  the  line  of  thrust  must  always 
pass  through  the  center  of  curvature,  while  with  a  flat  bearing  piece 
the  position  of  the  line  of  thrust  will  always  be  in  doubt,  the  only  sure 
thing  about  it  being  that  it  has  considerable  variation,  reducing  the 
allowable  average  intensity  of  pressure  upon  the  surface  and  causing 
an  uncertainty  and  variation  of  the  stresses  in  the  horizontal  frames. 

In  cases  where  the  pressure  per  vertical  inch  of  quoin  does  not. 
exceed  9,000  pounds,  it  is  proposed  to  use  wood  in  the  quoin  post.  As 
the  width  of  bearing  is  23  inches,  the  greatest  intensity  of  pressure 
amounts  to  about  400  pounds  per  square  inch  between  the  wood  and 
stone. 

In  some  of  the  gates  designed  the  thrust  at  the  quoin  passes  this 
limit,  as  it  was  not  thought  practicable  to  make  the  timber  bearing 
wider  than  23  inches.  A  metal  quoin  and  metal  bearing  pieces  on  the 
quoin  post  are  used  for  these  heavy  pressures.  This  is  shown  in  detail 
in  figs.  7,  9,  and  10,  plate  74. 

The  post  itself  is  the  same  as  before,  except  the  steel-casting  bearing 
pieces. 

This  metal  quoin  is  intended  for  use  on  all  gates  for  the  80-foot 
locks,  which  withstand  a  head  of  water  of  more  than  30  feet,  and  on 
gates  for  60-foot  locks,  which  withstand  a  head  of  more  than  40  feet. 

All  the  castings  are  of  steel.  No  eccentricity  is  used,  as  in  the  case 
of  wooden  bearing  pieces,  the  quoin  and  quoin  post  being  in  contact  at 
all  times.  This  eliminates  all  danger  of  foreign  substances  lodging 
between  the  bearing  surfaces. 

It  may  appear  at  first  sight  that  this  arrangement  will  cause  a  large 
frictional  resistance  in  the  quoin.  These  resistances  will  not  be 
much  greater  without  than  with  eccentricity  in  the  quoin,  since  the 
horizontal  thrust,  due  to  the  weight  of  the  gate,  must  be  taken  care 
of  either  in  the  quoin  itself  or  concentrated  upon  a  bearing  at  the 
bottom  of  the  gate.  The  lever  arm  of  the  frictional  resistance  of  this 
bearing  for  the  very  heavy  gates  could  not  be  made  much  shorter 
than  the  radius  of  the  quoin,  and,  as  friction  is  independent  of  area, 
little  would  be  gained  and  much  lost  by  providing  an  eccentric 
bearing. 

The  only  gain  would  be  the  slight  reduction  of  the  horizontal  thrust 
of  the  gate  while  turning,  on  account  of  the  slightly  lower  posit  ion  of 
its  center  of  resistance  and  the  fact  that  the  smaller  bearing  would 
keep  cleaner  and  have  a  somewhat  lower  coefficient  of  friction. 
However,  even  assuming  a  very  high  coefficient  of  friction,  less  than 
one-half  horsepower  will  be  required  to  do  the  work  of  overcoming 
friction  in  the  heaviest  gate. 

MITER  POST. 

The  functions  of  the  miter  post  are  practically  the  same  as  those 
of  the  quoin  post,  the  only  difference  being  that  it  bears  against 


156 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


another  similar  post  instead  of  against  a  hollow  quoin  and  does  not 
carry  the  weight  of  the  gate.  As  designed,  it  is  structurally  the  same, 
the  only  difference  being  in  the  shape  of  the  bearing  pieces,  which  are 
of  the  same  material  in  the  quoin  and  miter  post  in  all  gates. 

Details  of  the  posts  having  timber  bearing  pieces  are  shown  on  pi. 
70,  and  those  with  steel  bearing  blocks  are  shown  on  plate  74.  The 
drawings  explain  themselves  without  further  description.  Where 
timber  is  shown  it  is  proposed  to  use  white  oak. 

The  practice  in  the  past  has  been  to  use  wood  exclusively  for  the 
meeting  faces  of  the  gate.  In  a  few  of  the  more  modern  gates,  how¬ 
ever,  steel  is  used.  Wood  has  been  preferred  to  steel  because  it 
makes  a  more  water-tight  joint  on  account  of  its  more  yielding  nature. 
This  is  certainly  true  in  cases  where  the  thrust  of  the  gate  is  not  great. 
It  is  probable,  however,  that  if  the  intensity  of  pressure  between  the 
steel  bearing  pieces  be  high  and  the  parts  carefully  made  a  very  good 
joint  will  result.  In  the  present  work  the  use  of  steel  bearing  blocks 
in  some  cases  was  imperative,  since  the  thrusts  are  so  great  that  a 
bearing  3  feet  wide  would  be  required  if  timber  were  used. 

Considerable  time  has  been  given  to  the  study  of  the  position  of  the 
center  of  pressure  at  the  meeting  faces,  since  upon  it  depend  quite 
largely  the  stresses  in  the  horizontal  frames. 

The  meeting  faces  may  be  made  plane  or  curved.  The  former  is 
the  more  usual  shape  and  is  entirely  satisfactory  when  the  thrusts 
are  moderate  enough  to  allow  of  a  comparatively  narrow  bearing  face 
being  used;  but  when  very  wide  bearing  is  required,  plane  meeting 
faces  give  trouble  by  “nipping”  or  meeting  at  their  extreme  edges. 
If  the  faces  of  the  bearing  pieces  are  planes,  the  most  favorable  con¬ 
dition  is  a  uniform  pressure  over  their  entire  surface. 

This  ideal  condition  can  not  be  realized  in  practice,  as  it  can  only 
occur  for  one  definite  length  of  the  gate  leaves,  and  then  only  if  the 
angle  at  which  the  meeting  pieces  are  fitted  is  absolutely  correct. 

Since  the  length  of  the  gate  varies  with  the  temperature  and  the 
stress  to  which  the  structure  is  subjected,  and,  furthermore,  absolute 
exactness  either  in  the  shape  of  the  gate  or  the  fitting  of  the  miter 
pieces  is  impossible,  a  strictly  uniform  pressure  will  never  occur. 

When  gates  are  being  closed  and  the  two  leaves  approach  each  other, 
the  bearing  pieces  will  first  meet  on  their  extreme  upstream  or  down¬ 
stream  edges,  the  faces  making  a  very  small  angle  with  each  other. 

As  the  water  pressure  comes  upon  the  gate  the  material  compresses, 
and  from  being  in  contact  at  a  line  along  the  extreme  edge  they  come 
in  contact  along  a  vertical  strip  extending  from  the  edge  of  the  meet¬ 
ing  faces  toward  their  middle,  and  in  most  cases  bringing  their  entire 
surface  into  contact. 

The  position  of  the  center  of  thrust  depends  upon  the  variation  of 
intensity  of  pressure  across  this  face. 

J ust  what  is  the  law  of  variation  of  intensity  of  pressure  across  the 
face  of  the  timber  bearing  can  not  be  told,  as  the  wood  will  in  most 


JULIUS  BIEN  S  CO  PHOTO  LITH- 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


157 


cases  be  pressed  beyond  its  elastic  limit.  As  close  an  approximation 
as  can  be  made  is  to  assume  that  distortion  is  proportional  to  stress. 
In  fig.  1  and  fig.  3 

Let  a — one-lialf  the  angle  between  the  meeting  faces, 
i=thickness  of  the  timber  bearing, 

Cx= compression  of  timber  at  its  upper  edge, 

C2= compression  of  timber  at  its  lower  edge, 
p^=  intensity  of  pressure  on  timber  at  its  upper  edge, 
p2= intensity  of  pressure  on  timber  at  its  lower  edge, 
A=one-half  width  of  bearing  face, 

E2=modulus  of  elasticity  of  timber, 

P=  thrust  per  vertical  inch  of  miter, 

Then,  in  fig.  1,  which  represents  the  case  of  contact  over  the  entire 


face, 

p  — P\t  p  — Pit 

or 

^2— C'l  — p  (Pi  Pi) 

but 

C2— C,=2  A  tan  a 

from  which: 

2  A  E.,  tan  a 
Pi~Pi= - \ - 

again : 

p=a  (iJj+ib) 

Eliminating 

p,= 


P 

2A 


A  E,  tan  a  , 
- - and  px 


P  A  E.,  tan  a 

¥A  r 


(1) 


Center  of  resistance  from  middle=e=A  —  ~  ~  ( w  Til 

3  {Pi+lh) 

In  fig.  2,  which  represents  the  case  of  partial  contact: 


But 

By  elimination, 


C »=d  tan  a 

E2  C2  E2  d 
Pi  ~~  ^  ~ ==  “ 


tan  a 

~r 


pi — 


2  P 
d 


d 


=Va 


P  t 


E2  tan  a 


Pi 


2=v» 


P  E2  tan  a 


(2) 


(3) 


e=A— 


iJ  g  p  t 

3  v  Eo  tan  c 


(1) 


And, 


158 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Equations  1  and  2  apply  when 


9  ,=  /  2  P t 
<  Y  E2  tan  a 

and  equations  3  and  4  apply  when 


2  A 


 2  P  t 


>  y  E2  tan  a 


The  same  results  would  be  obtained  in  case  of  first  contact  at  up¬ 
stream  edge. 

The  unknown  factors  in  these  equations  are  a  and  E2. 

The  angle  a  may  be  said  to  be  the  result  of  error  in  workmanship 
or  the  result  of  a  change  in  the  length  of  the  gate.  To  determine  a 
we  turn  to  fig.  3. 

Let  qoi  represent  a  line  of  length  L  drawn  from  the  hollow  quoins  to 
one  edge  of  the  bearing  piece  in  the  miter  post. 

Let  ft  =  angle  0\  q.  v. 

Let  02  represent  the  new  position  of  the  edge  of  the  bearing  piece  after 
change  of  length  of  gate. 

Let  qr  =  qo2. 

Let  d  L—  change  in  length  of  gate. 

Let  a  —  angular  change  in  plane  of  bearing  face  due  to  change  in 
length  of  gate. 

Let  d]L=  change  of  length  of  gate  due  to  change  of  temperature. 

Let  d2L  =  change  in  length  of  gate  due  to  compression  of  steel. 

Let  d3L  =  change  in  length  of  gate  due  to  compression  of  wood. 

Let  K  =  the  angle  between  the  meeting  faces  due  to  error  of  work¬ 
manship,  when  the  gates  are  first  adjusted. 

Let  S  =  intensity  of  compression  in  the  steel  horizontal  frames. 

Let  T  =  total  thickness  of  timber  in  quoin  and  miter  post. 

Let  Ei  =  modulus  of  elasticity  of  steel. 

Let  P  =  thrust  per  vertical  inch  of  miter  post. 

Then  in  circular  measure: 


a=  dt 


diL  — d2L  — AX 
L  tan  ft  + 


dtL 

L  tan  ft 


SL 

Ei 

L  tan  ft 


PT 

-2AE2  ±K 
L  tan  /i±lv 


=  ± 


dLL _ S _ PT 

L  tan  fi  Ej  tan  ft  2AE2L  tan  ft 


±K 


(') 


In  this  formula  the  first  term  represents  that  part  of  the  angle 
caused  by  change  of  temperature,  the  second  that  caused  by  compres¬ 
sion  of  steel,  the  third  that  caused  by  compression  of  the  wood,  and 
the  fourth  that  caused  by  error  of  workmanship. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


159 


If  the  gate  be  supposed  to  be  subjected  to  a  range  of  temperature 
of  from  32°  to  112°  F.,  then  the  greatest  change  from  mean  temper¬ 
ature  will  be  40°  F.,  and  will  equal  .0000065  x40L=.00026L. 

8=9,000  pounds  per  square  inch  for  all  frames, 

Ej =29000000 
A=114  inches 

L=53G  inches  in  gate  for  80-foot  lock, 

T  =  22  inches. 

As  for  Iv,  let  it  be  supposed  that,  owing  to  error  of  workmanship, 
the  bearing  blocks  are  set  so  that  when  the  gates  are  closed  they  bear 
on  one  side,  and  the  edges  of  the  other  side  are  separated  by  one- 
eighth  inch.  This  would  be  a  very  noticeable  error. 

Then  tan  K=zb-.~  q  =4;. 0026  for  gate  for  80-foot  lock. 

it)  ✓N  -J 

By  substituting  the  constants  in  equation  (7)  the  value  of  oc  is 
obtained  in  terms  of  E2  and  P. 

As  a  is  very  small,  we  may  put  tan  a=a  and  substitute  in  equations 
(1)  and  (2)  or  (3)  and  (4),  which  will  give  the  intensity  of  pressure  in 
the  wood  (jq  and  ji,)  and  the  eccentricity  of  pressure  (e)  in  terms  of 
E2  and  P. 

P  varies  from  nearly  0,  at  the  top  of  the  gate,  to  a  maximum  not 
greater  than  10,000  pounds  per  vertical  inch  of  miter  post  at  the  bot¬ 
tom  of  the  gate  or  below  the  lower  pool. 

E2  is  quite  largely  a  function  of  the  condition  of  the  timber  as 
regards  moisture.  It  ranges  from  20,000  to  200,000  for  white  oak.  As 
low  values  as  20,000  were  obtained  from  measurements  of  the  com¬ 
pression  of  the  timber  in  the  miter  posts  of  the  Poe  Lock  at  Sault  Sainte 
Marie.  These  measurements  gave  no  values  higher  than  40,000. 

The  .timber  in  these  gates  had  been  in  use  about  three  years  and 
was  well  saturated.  As  high  values  as  200,000  have  been  obtained 
from  laboratory  experiments  upon  well-seasoned  wood. 

Substituting  these  two  extreme  values  of  E2  in  connection  with 
various  values  of  P  in  the  proper  equations,  either  1  and  2  or  3  and  4 
as  determined  by  equations  (5)  and  (6),  the  following  values  e  and  jq 
are  obtained: 

E,  =  20,000. 


p 

e 

Pi 

P 

e 

P». 

1,000 

6.9  inches. 

130  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

6,000 

2.0  inches. 

377  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

2,000 

4.9  inches. 

188  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

7,000 

1.8  inches. 

424  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

3,000 

3.6  inches. 

237  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

8, 000 

1.6  inches. 

469  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

4,000 

2.8  inches. 

283  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

9, 000 

1.5  inches. 

517  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

5,000 

2.3  inches. 

330  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

10, 000 

1.4  inches. 

564  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

160 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


In  the  same  way  for  E.,=  200,000: 


p 

e 

Pi 

1,000 
3,000 
6, 000 
10,000 

10. 3  inches . 
9.2  iuches. 
8. 0  inches. 
6. 9  inches. 

400  pounds  per  square  inch. 
702  pounds  per  square  inch. 
1.000  pounds  per  square  inch. 
1,300  pounds  per  square  inch. 

The  first  table  in  which  E2  =  20,000  probably  represents  the  most 
favorable  condition,  so  far  as  e  is  concerned,  that  can  be  expected. 

Under  these  conditions  the  maximum  distance  of  the  center  of 
pressure  from  the  center  of  the  bearing  piece  is,  as  the  table  shows, 
7  inches  at  the  top  of  the  gate,  gradually  decreasing  to  less  than  2 
inches  below  the  lower  pool. 

It  must  be  remembered  that,  so  far  as  the  steel  horizontal  frames 
are  concerned,  great  variation  of  the  center  of  pressure  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  gate  is  quite  as  objectionable  as  in  the  lower  part,  since, 
although  the  intensity  of  pressure  on  the  wood  is  not  so  great,  the 
horizontal  frames,  being  spaced  farther  apart,  have  as  high  a  stress 
as  those  below. 

The  excessive  values  of  e  in  the  upper  part  of  the  gate  may  be  elimi¬ 
nated  by  making  the  bearing  face  vary  in  width  from  a  minimum  of, 
say,  0  inches  at  the  top  of  the  gate  to  the  full  width  at  the  surface  of 
the  lower  pool.  Fig.  4  shows  the  plan  and  face  elevation  of  such  a 
bearing  piece;  a,  b ,  c,  e,  /,  h  represents  a  top  section  and  a,  b ,  cl,  g  a 
bottom  section. 

Under  less  favorable  conditions  when  the  wood  is  dry,  as  seen  in 
the  second  table,  in  which  E  =  200,000,  the  distance  of  the  center  of 
pressure  from  the  center  of  the  bearing  face  may  vary  from  10.3 
inches  at  the  top  of  a  24-incli  bearing  piece  to  7  inches  at  the  bottom. 

If  the  designer  is  convinced  that  the  bearing  blocks  will  be  thor¬ 
oughly  saturated  at  all  times,  and  if  he  will  proportion  them  so  that 
the  pressure  per  vertical  inch  of  miter,  divided  by  the  width  of  bear¬ 
ing  face  in  inches,  shall  be  about  400,  thus  giving  to  them  the  shape 
indicated  above,  he  may  use  bearing  blocks  with  plane  meeting  faces 
with  little  fear  that  the  center  of  pressure  will  be  more  than,  say,  a 
tenth  the  width  of  face  from  its  center.  If  he-  is  not  sure  of  this,  he 
must  make  whatever  assumptions  seem  to  him  reasonable. 

No  formula  can  give  exact  values  of  e,  since  the  condition  of  the 
timber  changes  from  time  to  time,  becoming  softer  with  age  and 
saturation,  and  the  foregoing  analysis  is  not  given  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  exact  values,  but  to  assist  in  making  more  intelligent 
assumptions. 

The  analysis  is  of  value  in  showing  what  the  shape  of  the  bearing 
pieces  should  be  and  indicating  what  effect  upon  the  strains  in  the 
gate  the  use  of  wood  in  the  quoin  and  miter  post  has. 


JULIUS  BIEN  &  CO  PHOTO  LITH 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


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- 


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’ 


t 


JULIUS  B1EN  4  CO.  PHOTO  LlTH 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


161 


The  deduction  from  the  above  analysis  is  that  with  a  plane  bearing 
face  24  inches  wide  there  is  a  wide  range  (from  0  to  ±  8  or  9  inches) 
of  eccentricity  possible,  depending  upon  the  condition  of  the  wood, 
and  that  the  uncertainty  is  so  great  that  it  is  very  desirable  to  elim¬ 
inate  it  if  possible  by  the  use  of  another  shape  of  bearing  block. 

As  the  following  analysis  shows,  by  giving  the  bearing  blocks  a  cyl¬ 
indrical  form  of  large  radius,  there  will  be  much  greater  certainty 
that  the  range  of  the  center  of  pressure  will  be  confined  to  narrower 
limits. 

As  before,  the  position  of  the  center  of  pressure  depends  upon 
change  in  the  length  of  the  gate  and  accuracy  of  workmanship. 


In  Fig.  5 


Let  dL  =  change  in  length  of  gate. 

Let  q  be  the  back  of  hollow  quoin. 

Let  yd  =  angle  Oi qv. 

Let  r  =  radius  of  the  bearing  pieces. 

Let  Ci  be  the  center  of  the  curve  of  the  face  of  the  bearing  piece 
before  change  of  length  of  gate. 

Let  C3  be  the  center  of  the  curve  of  the  face  of  the  bearing  piece  after 
change  of  length  of  gate. 

Let  w  =  distance  between  hollow  quoins. 

Let.  Oj  represent  the  point  at  which  the  gates  will  touch  before  change 
of  length.  This  is  supposed  to  be  the  middle  of  the  face  of  the 
bearing  block. 

Let  03  represent  the  point  at  which  the  gates  will  touch  after  change 
of  length.  I 

Let  e  =  distance  from  center  of  bearing  block  to  center  of  pressure. 
LetL  =  length  of  gate  =  qOi. 

Suppose  that  a  change  of  length  dL  takes  place  without  revolution 
of  the  gate,  and  Oi  passes  to  a  position  02,  and  Ci  passes  to  a  position 
C2.  Then  CiC2  will  be  parallel  to  q04. 

Suppose,  then,  that  revolution  of  the  gate  takes  place  until  the 
gates  meet  at  03, 


Then 


tan  u,  = 


i  w  tan  yd  —  dL  sin  yd 
y  w—  r—  dL  cos  yd 


i  iv  —  r 


tan  fd— dL  sin  yd)s  -\-  {\w  —  r  —  dL  cos  ft)2 


e—r  tan  («j— ff2)4r  tan  K. 


(8) 


J - 


(9) 


LI.  Doc.  149 - 11 


162 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


In  which: 

t  =  one-half  extreme  range  of  temperature  in  degrees  Fahrenheit. 

Et  =  modulus  of  elasticity  of  steel. 

E8 = modulus  of  elasticity  of  wood  in  quoin  and  miter  post. 

T  =  total  thickness  of  timber  in  quoin  and  miter  post. 

P  thrust  per  vertical  inch  of  miter  post. 

A  half  width  of  wood  in  quoin  and  miter  post. 

L  =  length  of  gate. 

s  =  intensity  of  compression  in  horizontal  frames. 

The  first  term  in  the  value  of  dL  represents  the  change  due  to 
change  of  temperature;  the  second,  the  change  due  to  the  compression 
of  the  steel,  and  the  third,  the  change  due  to  the  compression  of  the 
wood . 

It  is  evident  that  dL  will  be  greatest  when  P  is  greatest  and  E2  is 
least. 

If  the  range  of  temperature  be  from  32°  to  112°  F.,  then 
t  =40. 

L  =536  in  gate  for  80-foot  lock. 

Ej  =29,000,000. 

P  =from  0  to  10,000. 

E2  =from  20,000  to  200,000. 

=  498  inches  in  80-foot  lock. 
ft  =arc  tan  .4. 

K  =an  angle  produced  by  an  error  of  workmanship  in  making 
one  side  of  the  bearing  piece  thicker  than  the  other. 

Supposing  that  one  side  of  the  bearing  block  be  made  one-sixteenth 
inch  thicker  than  the  other,  K  will  be, 

arc  tan  Q.  =0.0026. 

16  X  24 

Putt  ing  r  =  300  inches  and  substituting  the  above  value  in  the  proper 
equations,  using  E2  =  20,000  and  P  =  10,000,  and  using  all  minus  signs, 
we  get  for  a  maximum  e=  —  1.8  inches.  This  is  measured  on  the 
upstream  side  of  the  center  of  the  bearing  block.  The  value  of  e  for 
the  downstream  side,  obtained  by  making  P  small  and  E2  large  and 
making  all  signs  plus,  is  4-  0.7  inch. 

By  comparing  this  maximum  with  9  or  10  inches,  found  for  bearing 
blocks  with  plane  faces,  it  would  seem  that  without  doubt  the  curved 
bearing  is  the  better  one  to  use. 

As  the  drawings  show,  all  the  bearing  blocks  have  been  made  8  inches 
thick  and  cylindrical  to  a  radius  of  300  inches.  The  practice  of  those 
in  charge  of  locks  bears  out  the  wisdom  of  this.  It  is  their  custom, 
when  the  gates  give  trouble  by  nipping,  to  slightly  round  the  faces  of 
the  bearing  blocks,  which  expedient  has  been  found  to  remove  the 
trouble. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


163 


To  determine  the  intensity  of  pressure  upon  the  timber,  let  fig.  6 
represent  a  bearing  piece  compressed  to  any  line,  as  f  g. 

Let  s  be  any  point  on  the  compressed  surface. 

Let  x  =  its  distance  from  c  03. 

Let  ().,  be  the  point  of  first  contact. 

Let  P  =  pressure  per  vertical  inch  of  miter  post. 

Let  p  =  intensity  of  pressure  at  s. 

Let  r  =  radius  of  face-bearing  piece. 

Let  b  =  the  breadth  of  the  surface  in  contact. 

Let  t  =  thickness  of  bearing  piece  (if  r  is  large,  t  may  be  taken  as 
uniform). 

Let  d  =  amount  of  compression  at  s. 

Let  E2  =  modulus  of  elasticity  for  wood. 

Then 

d  =  Jr2  —  x2—  Vra  —  jb2;  also  d  =  j(- 

P'a 

From  which 


p  is  a  maximum  at  point  x  =  O 
Then 


p  ( max) 


(11) 


By  using  the  maximum  value  of  10,000  pounds  for  P  and  making 
r  =  300  inches  and  t  —  8  inches  it  was  found  from  equations  10  and 
11  that  the  maximum  value  of  p  for  E2  =  20,000  is  830  pounds  per 
square  inch,  and  for  E2  =  200,000  it  is  1,500  pounds  per  square  inch. 


STEEL  BEARING  PIECES. 


Very  much  more  favorable  conditions  as  regards  eccentricity  of 
pressure  prevail  when  steel  bearing  blocks  are  used  in  the  quoin  and 
miter  posts.  Very  little  uncertainty  exists  in  regard  to  the  position 
of  the  center  of  pressure,  and  it  is  quite  certain  that  its  variation  will 
be  small. 

The  steel  meeting  faces  are  curved  to  a  radius  of  300  inches.  The 
last  term  of  equation  (9)  vanishes,  leaving 


d  L  =  ±  0.0000065  t  L  —  s' L 

E. 


164 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


All  the  factors  of  this  equation  are  definite  and  well  known,  and  dL 
is  small  under  the  worst  conditions  of  change  of  temperature  which 
are  likely  to  exist.  Assuming  the  same  error  of  workmanship  and 
substituting  as  before  in  equations  (8)  and  (9)  we  get  ex  —  1.2  inches 
and  <?2  =  .78  inch.  (See  fig.  8  for  er  and  for  the  worst  case  of  the 
gate  for  80-foot  lock.) 

It  is  believed  that  this  represents  about  the  maximum  range  of  the 
position  of  the  center  of  pressure  when  metal  bearing  blocks  curved 
to  a  radius  of  300  inches  are  used. 

It  is  impossible  to  tell  what  the  intensity  of  pressure  upon  these 
steel  meeting  faces  will  be.  The  best  that  can  be  done  is  to  use  one 
of  the  numerous  empirical  formulae  for  the  safe  load  upon  rollers. 

Substituting  in  the  formula  f=  l,700yR,  in  which  R  =  radius  of 
meeting  face  and/=  allowable  safe  load  per  lineal  inch  of  roller,  we 
get /=  29,400  pounds,  which  is  a  greater  load  than  will  be  developed 
in  any  of  the  proposed  gates. 

FRAMING. 

Since  the  two  leaves  of  the  gate  form  an  arch  which  receives  the 
horizontal  load  of  the  water  pressure  and  transmits  it  to  the  side  walls, 
it  necessarily  follows  that  the  principal  members  of  the  gate  must  be 
horizontal  frames  extending  from  miter  to  quoin  post.  These  horizon¬ 
tals  may  be  placed  so  close  together  that  the  sheathing  is  able  to  deliver 
the  water  pressure  directly  to  them,  or  they  may  be  placed  farther 
apart  and  vertical  girders  employed  to  take  the  pressure  from  the 
sheathing  and  deliver  it  to  them. 

These  two  arrangements  divide  gates  into  two  classes,  known  as  the 
horizontal  and  vertical  types,  the  relative  merits  of  which  have  been 
made  the  subject  of  much  discussion. 

An  extreme  case  of  vertical  framing  is  the  use  of  but  one  horizon¬ 
tal,  and  that  at  the  top  of  the  gate,  allowing  the  lower  end  of  the 
verticals  to  bear  against  the  sill.  This  has  the  advantage  of  allowing 
a  very  clear  analysis  of  the  stresses  in  the  verticals  and  making  the 
sill  do  much  of  the  work  that  would  otherwise  be  done  by  the  horizon¬ 
tals.  This  form  of  gate  may  be  economical  under  small  heads  of 
water  and  in  gates  that  have  much  greater  length  than  height.  A  dif¬ 
ficulty  arises,  however,  in  providing  a  satisfactory  detail  at  the  miter 
and  quoin  posts. 

Between  this  extreme  case  and  the  purely  horizontally  framed  type 
there  is  the  case  of  relatively  few  horizontals  with  intermediate  verti¬ 
cals.  A  satisfactory  detail  at  the  miter  is  possible  with  this  arrange¬ 
ment,  and  it  has  a  field  in  which  it  may  be  used  with  economy.  This 
field  includes  cases  of  very  low  lift  of  lock  in  which  the  pressures  are 
small.  This  type  may  be  used  with  economy  for  upper  and  lower  gates 
for  80-foot  locks  having  lifts  less  than  10  or  12  feet  and  for  00-foot 
locks  having  lifts  less  than  8  or  10  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


1(35 


These  cases  are  very  rare,  however,  in  Hie  locks  for  the  proposed 
deep  waterway,  and  all  the  designs  are  of  purely  horizontal  type  of 
framing. 

HORIZONTAL  FRAMES. 

One  of  the  questions  in  gate  design  most  frequently  discussed  is, 
What  shall  be  the  shape  of  the  gate  in  plan,  i.  e.,  what  is  the  proper 
form  of  the  horizontal  frames? 

A  circular  arch  form  is  advocated  quite  generally,  on  the  ground 
that  for  the  same  strength  it  is  lighter  and  is  therefore  cheaper.  A 
sort  of  gothic  arch  is  preferred  by  some  engineers,  and  still  others 
advocate  the  so-called  girder  form  which  is  straight  on  Ihe  downstream 
side  and  any  desirable  shape  on  the  other.  The  advocates  of  this  lat¬ 
ter  form  maintain  that  it  has  many  inherent  advantages  over  any 
other  and  that  when  properly  designed  its  weight  will  be  but  little 
greater  than  the  arch  form,  and  that,  owing  to  its  greater  simplicity, 
its  low  cost  of  construction  will  make  it  as  cheap  or  cheaper. 

The  considerations  which  should  decide  the  form  of  horizontal  frame 
are  the  following: 

It  is  very  desirable  that  the  gate  recesses  in  the  lock  walls  should 
be  as  shallow  as  possible.  This  is  a  decided  point  in  favor  of  the 
so-called  girder  shape. 

It  is  also  considered  desirable  that  when  the  gates  are  open  and  in 
their  recesses  they  should  continue  the  line  of  the  wall;  in  other 
words,  be  straight  on  the  downstream  side. 

The  gate  should  be  as  stiff  and  rigid  as  possible  against  unavoidable 
accidental  blows  and  rough  usage  to  which  it  will  be  subjected.  The 
arch,  being  comparatively  thin,  is  notably  weak  in  this  respect. 

For  the  work  in  hand  it  is  especially  desirable,  for  reasons  which 
have  already  been  discussed,  to  use  a  single  skin  gate.  Consequently 
it  is  desirable  that  the  gate  should  be  straight  on  the  downstream  side, 
to  allow  of  diagonal  bracing. 

Lastly,  there  is  the  question  of  economy.  In  tin*  face  of  the  above 
disadvantages,  however,  it  would  seem  that  the  arch  form  must  show 
very  much  greater  economy  in  order  to  be  preferred  to  the  gate 
straight  on  the  downstream  side. 

The  cost  of  a  structure  is  made  up  of  two  elements — cost  of  material 
and  cost  of  workmanship. 

The  cost  of  material  depends  upon  conditions  over  which  the 
designer  has  no  control.  The  cost  of  workmanship  depends  quite 
largely  upon  the  character  of  the  design.  The  amount  of  material 
which  may  be  used  to  save  cost  of  workmanship  depends  upon  the 
relative  cost  of  the  two.  This  relation  has  continually  changed,  and 
any  deductions  based  upon  it  at  one  time  will  not  necessarily  apply 
at  another. 

As  the  cost  of  material  decreases,  the  greater  will  become  the  rela¬ 
tive  economy  of  simple  structures.  In  general,  the  so-called  girder 


166 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


shape  will  be  simpler  than  the  arch  and  make  the  gate  cost  less  per 
pound. 

If  the  line  connecting  the  centers  of  gravity  of  different  sections  of 
a  horizontal  frame  coincides  with  the  line  of  thrust,  then  it  will  be  a 
perfect  arch  without  transverse  stress.  If  this  arch  has  a  rise  condu¬ 
cive  to  economy,  there  is  little  doubt  that  so  long  as  this  ideal  condi¬ 
tion  of  exact  coincidence  of  center  of  thrust  and  center  of  gravity 
exists  the  minimum  amount  of  material  will  be  required  for  the  frame. 

The  circular  arch  can  be  readily  made  to  fit  this  condition  for  one 
position  of  the  line  of  thrust,  but  the  line  of  thrust  must  pass  through 
the  center  of  pressure  at  the  miter,  and,  as  has  been  seen  in  the  study 
of  the  miter,  the  position  of  this  center  of  pressure  varies  between 
rather  wide  limits,  depending  upon  the  construction  of  the  bearing 
blocks.  Any  deviation  of  the  line  of  thrust  from  the  line  of  centers 
of  gravity  introduces  cross  bending  in  the  arch,  which  is  not  well  shaped 
to  withstand  it,  thus  requiring  a  certain  additional  amount  of  material 
to  resist  bending. 

The  frame,  straight  on  the  downstream  side,  though  usually  heavier 
when  proportioned  for  a  single  position  of  the  line  of  thrust,  requires, 
on  account  of  its  greater  depth,  a  smaller  addition  of  material  to  cover 
the  effect  of  bending. 

It  would  seem  that  the  arch  form  of  horizontal  frame  will  be  the 
lightest  if  the  miter  can  be  so  arranged  that  there  will  be  no  variation 
in  the  position  of  the  eeuter  of  pressure,  and  that  it  shows  less  and 
less  economy  as  the  variation  increases  until,  if  the  eccentricity 
becomes  great  enough,  the  girder  shape  will  be  the  lighter,  always 
supposing  that  it  has  the  greater  depth,  which  in  general  will  be  the 
case.  This  conclusion  is  borne  out  by  the  investigation  which  follows. 

Besides  the  question  of  the  relative  economy  of  the  two  general  forms 
of  horizontal  frame,  there  is  the  question  of  the  proper  rise  of  sill  and 
depth  for  each. 

It  was  recognized  that  a  mere  mathematical  analysis  is  not  sufficient 
to  determine  the  form  most  economical  of  material,  since  in  practice 
with  the  ordinary  forms  of  rolled  steel  it  is  not  possible  to  make  a 
theoretically  perfect  distribution  of  material.  The  importance  of  the 
question  and  the  magnitude  of  the  work  in  hand  seemed  to  warrant 
the  making  of  a  somewhat  lengthy  investigation  of  the  questions 
involved. 

Three  investigations  were  carried  out.  The  first  involved  the 
designing  and  determining  the  weight  of  horizontal  frames  of  different 
shapes  for  over  a  thousand  different  gates.  This  included  10  shapes 
of  frame  for  upper  and  lower  gates  for  GO  and  70  foot  locks  of  lifts 
varying  from  30  to  50  feet  and  rises  of  sill  of  one-fourth,  one-fifth,  and 
one-sixth  the  span.  These  weights  of  the  horizontal  frames  are  tabu¬ 
lated  on  plates  75  and  76  and  are  plotted  on  plate  77. 

By  the  results  of  this  investigation  it  was  hoped  to  be  able  to  answer 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


167 


the  following  questions:  For  a  60  and  70  foot  lock,  what  rise  of  sill  and 
what  shape  of  gate  will  give  the  lightest  gate  if  double  skin  be  used, 
or  if  single  skin  be  used,  or  if  the  skin  be  assumed  not  to  act  as  part 
of  the  frame  in  resisting  water  pressure. 

From  the  diagrams  it  is  seen  that  the  arches  are  somewhat  lighter 
for  all  lifts.  It  is  also  seen  that  the  lightest  gate  of  each  of  the  three 
cases  of  rise  of  sill  do  not  differ  greatly  in  weight.  In  other  words, 
within  the  limits  of  the  investigation  the  rise  of  sill  does  not  cut  much 
of  a  figure. 

The  saving  in  material  by  the  use  of  the  arch  is  in  all  cases  less  than 
10  per  cent  of  the  weight  of  a  gate,  which  is  believed  to  be  insuffi¬ 
cient  to  warrant  its  adoption  in  the  face  of  the  great  practical  advan¬ 
tages  of  the  gate  straight  on  the  downstream  side.  It  is  thought  that 
difficulties  in  the  construction  of  the  arch  will  make  the  unit  price 
enough  higher  to  make  up  for  the  small  difference  in  w  eight. 

The  second  investigation  was  less  general.  It  included  the  deter¬ 
mination  of  the  most  economical  shape  of  horizontal  frame  for  the 
gates  of  an  80-foot  lock  only.  It  was  also  decided  that  a  rise  of  sill 
of  one-fifth  the  width  of  the  lock  is  most  desirable  for  practical  rea¬ 
sons,  and  that  a  certain  amount  of  the  sheathing  should  be  considered 
as  acting  as  a  part  of  the  horizontal.  This  reduced  the  length  of  the 
investigation  very  considerably. 

Four  girder  shapes  with  depths  at  the  middle  of  4,  44,  5,  and  54  feet, 
and  two  arch  forms  64  feet  deep  at  their  middle,  were  designed  for 
the  same  heads  and  under  the  supposition  that  the  range  of  the  center 
of  pressure  at  the  miter  will  be  8  inches  each  side  of  the  middle  of  ihe 
bearing  blocks.  The  weights  were  compared,  and  it  was  found  that 
the  girder  shape  5  feet  deep  at  flic  middle  was  the  lightest.  This  was 
considered  a  very  good  shape  to  satisfy  the  practical  considerations 
mentioned  above,  although  later,  in  the  actual  design  of  the  gates,  as 
will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the  drawings,  the  width  at  the  middle  was 
reduced  to  44  feet  in  order  to  keep  the  gate  recesses  shallow,  there 
being  little  loss  of  economy  by  so  doing. 

The  third  investigation  wras  made  to  discover  the  influence  which  the 
variation  of  the  position  of  the  center  of  pressure  at  the  miter  has  upon 
the  determination  of  t  he  most  economical  shape  of  horizontal  frame. 

In  this  study,  single  and  double  skin  gates  for  60  and  80  foot  locks 
of  several  different  lifts  with  values  of  e  (see  figs.  2  and  3)  varying 
from  0  to  T  8  inches  were  designed  and  estimates  of  weights  made. 
This  investigation  included  two  shapes — a  desirable  girder  form  and 
the  circular  arch  somewhat  thicker  in  the  middle  than  at  the  ends. 

As  a  preliminary,  the  weight  of  a  single  horizontal  frame  of  each 
of  the  two  shapes,  figs.  1  and  2,  plate  78,  loaded  to  6,500  pounds  per 
linear  foot  was  found  fora  single  and  double  skin  gate  with  value  of  e 
varying  by  2  inches  from  0  to  4r  8  inches.  The  weights  found  are 
platted  in  the  first  diagram,  plate  78. 


168 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


This  diagram  shows  that  the  weight  varies  practically  uniformly 
with  e;  that  is,  the  curves  are  straight  lines  and  need  only  two  points 
to  determine  them.  It  also  shows  that  for  this  case  the  arch  is  the 
lighter  if  no  bending  be  introduced,  and  that  as  e  becomes  greater  it 
shows  less  and  less  economy  until  at  e  =  8  inches  it  is  practically  no 
lighter  for  single-skin  gate,  and  that  if  e  were  still  more  increased  it 
would  be  heavier  than  the  girder. 

The  investigation  was  then  continued  and  made  to  include,  instead 
of  one  girder,  the  entire  single  and  double  skin  gates  for  GO  and  80  foot 
locks,  of  several  different  lifts  and  shapes  of  horizontal  frames  shown 
in  tigs.  1,  2,  3,  4,  plate  78.  The  horizontal  frames  were  proportioned 
by  the  most  rigid  and  exact  method.  (See  method  given  under  the 
head  of  “  Proportioning  of  horizontal  frames.”)  They  were  designed 
for  e  =  0  and  e  =  8  inches  only,  it  being  evident  from  the  preliminary 
work  that  these  may  be  platted  and  the  points  connected  by  a  straight 
line.  Diagrams  representing  the  results  obtained  are  shown  on  plate 
78.  In  these  diagrams  abscissas  represent  eccentricities  and  ordinates 
represent  weights  of  lower  gate. 

The  deductions  from  the  results  obtained  are: 

First.  If  the  gate  be  designed  for  small  variation  of  center  of 
pressure  at  the  miter,  the  arch  will  be  the  lightest  form  for  the 
same  strength. 

Second.  The  economy  of  the  arch  becomes  less  if  e  be  increased  until 
if  e  be  taken  great  enough  the  girder  form  will  be  the  lighter,  always 
supposing  that  it  is  the  deeper,  which  in  general  will  be  the  case. 

Just  how  great  e  will  have  to  be  for  the  arch  to  be  the  heavier  will 
depend  upon  width  and  lift  of  lock  and  relation  of  the  thickness  of 
the  two  forms  of  gate.  In  other  words,  as  e  increases  a  point  will  be 
reached  at  which  the  thicker  gate,  whether  it  is  the  arch  or  girder, 
will  be  the  lighter  for  the  same  strength. 

Third.  The  arch  form  of  horizontal  frames  gives  relatively  greater 
economy  in  double-skin  than  in  single-skin  gates. 

Fourth.  In  single-skin  gates  for  60  or  80  foot  locks,  if  the  variation 
of  the  center  of  pressure  at  the  miter  be  4  or  5  inches  more  on  each 
side  of  the  center  of  the  bearing,  the  economy  in  material  shown  by 
the  arch  is  certainly  not  great  enough  to  overbalance  the  great  inher¬ 
ent  advantages  of  the  gate  straight  on  the  downstream  side  and  prob¬ 
ably  not  great  enough  to  make  it  the  cheaper  form  in  the  present  con¬ 
dition  of  the  steel  market. 

A  careful  weighing  of  all  the  practical  considerations  and  the  con¬ 
clusions  of  the  investigations  in  regard  to  economy  resulted  in  the 
adoption  of  the  shape  of  horizontal  frame  shown  on  plates  70,  71,  72, 
73,  and  74. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  frame  is  perfectly  symmetrical  about  its 
middle. 

It  is  so  shaped  that  the  centers  of  the  bearing  faces,  both  in  the 
quoin  and  miter  posts,  are  placed  well  downstream.  A  line  joining  the 


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H  Doc  149  56  2 

JULIUS  BIEN  &  CO  PHOTO  LITK. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


1(39 


centers  of  the  faces  of  the  bearing  pieces  in  quoin  and  miter  lies  only 
5it  inches  away  from  the  outside  edge  of  the  downstream  flange — a 
very  favorable  arrangement. 

It  is  believed  that  the  frames  have  been  so  designed  that  t lie  shop- 
work  and  erection  will  be  very  easily  and  cheaply  done. 

PROPORTIONING  OF  HORIZONTAL  FRAMES. 

The  direct  load  due  to  water  pressure  on  any  part  of  the  gate  is  very 
easily  found,  since  the  intensity  of  pressure  at  any  point  is  directly 
proportional  to  the  head  of  water  at  that  point. 

In  tig.  12,  if  A  O  is  a  vertical  section  of  a  gate  with  stages  of  water 
as  indicated,  the  ordinates  at  any  point  of  the  line  a  b  c  will  be  pro¬ 
portional  to  the  water  pressure  at  that  point. 

The  loads  on  the  horizontal  frames  are  not  the  same  as  the  external 
loads  of  water  pressure,  for  the  reason  that  the  vertical  stiffness  of 
the  gate  causes  a  redistribution  of  the  loads. 

The  entire  subject  of  the  effect  of  vertical  stiffness  of  the  gate  is 
discussed  in  a  subsequent  paragraph. 

The  principal  effect  of  this  redistribution  is  to  throw  an  increase  of 
load  into  t  lie  upper  part  of  the  gate. 

The  strength  of  the  horizontal  frames  is  made  proportional  to  the 
distances  between  the  lines  af  and  d  e  b  c.  In  other  words,  the  hori¬ 
zontals,  which  withstand  a  head  of  more  than  about  20  feet,  are 
proportioned  for  the  direct  load  of  water  pressure  which  will  come 
upon  them,  and  the  upper  20  feet  of  the  gate  is  made  of  uniform 
strength,  capable  of  withstanding  a  head  of  20  feet. 

The  increase  of  strengt  h  in  the  upper  part  of  the  gate  is  on  account 
of  the  effect  of  the  vertical  stiffness  and  because  it  seemed  best  not 
to  place  the  horizontal  frames  farther  apart  than  they  are  and  to  use 
no  lighter  than  three-eighths  inch  metal  in  their  construction. 

A  combination  of  a  graphical  and  an  analytical  method  was  used 
to  determine  the  stresses  and  proportion  the  frames.  An  equilibrium 
polygon,  or  line  of  thrust,  was  constructed  graphically,  and  from  the 
position  and  magnitude  of  the  thrust  at  any  point  the  required  flange 
section  was  given  directly  by  a  formula. 

In  fig.  7 — 

Let  qx  and  q2  be  the  centers  of  the  hollow  quoins. 

Let  m  be  the  position  of  the  center  of  pressure  at  the  miter. 

Let  P  be  the  resultant  of  the  water  pressure  acting  upon  one  frame. 
Let  R  lie  the  reactions  at  the  hollow  quoins. 

Let  T  be  the  thrust  at  the  miter. 

ex  and  are,  as  before,  the  distance  from  the  center  of  the  bearing 

to  the  center  of  pressure. 

Then,  if  the  two  leaves  of  the  gate  be  exactly  alike,  the  direction 
of  the  thrust  T  will  be  parallel  to  qx  q2  and 

T  =  pjr . (12) 


170 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Then,  for  equilibrium,  the  lines  P,  T,  and  R  must  intersect  in  a 
point,  from  which  consideration  both  the  magnitude  and  direction  of 
R  may  be  determined.  If  P  be  perpendicular  to  q  rn  at  its  middle, 
then  R  =  T  and  its  direction  makes  an  angle  -a  with  a  normal  to  the 
wall.  Let  fig.  8  represent  a  horizontal  frame  acted  upon  by  a  load  p 
per  unit  of  length. 

Then  P,  the  resultant  pressure  upon  the  frame,  will  have  a  position, 
as  in  fig.  8,  perpendicular  to  s  r  at  its  middle  and  P  =  p  s  r. 

The  extreme  positions  of  the  center  of  pressure  at  the  miter  having 
been  previously  decided  upon  at  these  extreme  points,  T’  and  T"  may 
be  drawn,  their  directions  being  known,  as  in  fig.  7.  If  these  lines 
be  extended  to  cut  the  line  of  P  in  points  zx  and  z2,  then  q  zx  and  q  z2 
will  give  the  directions  of  the  reactions  at  the  center  of  the  hollow 
quoin. 

If  1»  C,  C  1),  etc.,  represent  the  pressures  acting  upon  a  frame,  a 
force  diagram  may  be  constructed  in  the  usual  way,  as  in  fig.  8. 

The  reactions  at  the  hollow  quoin  are  b  0,  and  b  02.  The  thrusts  at 
the  miter  are,  n  0j  and  n  02.  These  latter  values  may  be  checked  by 
formula  (12). 

The  equilibrium  polygons  may  now  be  constructed,  which  will  give 
for  any  section  the  position  of  the  center  of  the  thrusts,  the  magnitude 
of  which  may  be  found  from  the  force  diagram. 

The  force  diagram  b,  c  .  .  .  m,  n  is  a  reproduction  to  a  smaller 
scale  of  the  upstream  side  of  the  frame,  since  each  of  its  elements, 
representing  water  pressure,  is  normal  to  and  proportional  to  the 
length  of  each  element  of  the  upstream  side  of  the  gate. 

Only  one  stress  diagram  need  be  constructed  for  all  frames  of  the 
same  shape  and  having  the  same  values  of  ex  and  e2. 

Suppose  that  the  force  diagram  be  constructed  for  all  frames  of  the 
same  shape  and  having  the  same  values  of  a  load  of  1  pound  per  linear 
foot  of  frame,  then  if  iex  and  te2  be  the  thrusts  at  any  section  as  XX  for 
a  load  of  1  pound  per  linear  foot  of  frame,  nfex  and  nte2  will  be  the 
thrusts  for  a  loading  of  a  pounds  per  linear  foot. 

If  h  be  the  effective  head  of  water  acting  upon  any  horizontal  frame 
and  b  be  the  sum  of  the  half  distances  to  each  adjacent  frame,  we 
may  put 

71  =  62.5  />  h 

or  Te,  =  02.5  b  li  i  ex  and  Te2=02.5  b  h  t  e2 

In  which  Te,  and  Te2  are  thrusts  at  any  section  of  any  frame. 

By  inspection  it  is  seen  that  the  upper  flange  will  be  most  strained 
near  its  middle  and  when  the  line  of  thrust  is  in  its  upper  position, 
and  that  the  lower  flange  will  be  subject  to  reversal  of  stress,  maximum 
tension  occurring  at  its  middle  and  maximum  compression  near  its 
ends.  In  all  the  gates  designed  the  maximum  tension  in  the  lower 
flanges  is  very  small. 


’ 


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I  i 


Fig.  9. 


F 


1 - 1 — ~ 

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1 

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1 

1 

1 

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1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

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Fig  JO. 


r 


JULIUS  BICN  i  CO  PHOTO  IITH. 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


171 


By  reference  to  plates  70  to  74  it  is  seen  that  the  lower  flanges  are 
heavily  reenforced  near  their  ends,  and  a  few  trials  show  that  the  crit¬ 
ical  section  for  the  lower  flange  is  Y  Y,  taken  near  the  end  of  the  reen¬ 
forcing  plates. 

In  fig.  9, 

Let  T  be  the  thrust  at  any  section. 

Let  x  be  the  distance  from  the  center  of  gravity  of  the  section  to  the 
center  of  thrust. 

Let  C  ,  and  C be  the  distance  from  the  edges  to  the  center  of  gravity  of 
the  section. 

Let /,  =  stress  in  upper  edge,  and 
Let  f2  =  stress  in  lower  edge. 

Let  A  be  the  area  of  the  section. 

Let  I  be  the  moment  of  inertia  of  the  section. 

Then, 

T  y-C  T 

/ 1  =  [  +  7  . (13) 


and 


/, 


t  _  .x-cyr 
A  1 


(14) 


By  assuming  various  flange  sections  and  making  a  series  of  trials 
by  the  use  of  the  above  formula,  flange  sections  may  be  found  which 
will  give  satisfactory  values  for/,  and/.,. 

This  method  was  found  very  tedious,  as  the  flanges  must  satisfy  the 
conditions  at  each  of  the  two  different  sections,  and  especially  in  the 
investigations  of  the  relative  economy  of  different  shapes.  In  these 
cases  it  was  necessary  to  so  proportion  the  frames  that  the  maximum 
stress  should  be  practically  the  same  in  the  various  cases  compared; 
otherwise  the  comparison  of  weights  would  be  of  little  value. 

A  more  direct  method  was  sought,  with  the  result  that  the  follow¬ 
ing  formula?  were  developed: 

Let  X  X,  fig.  10,  be  the  critical  section  for  the  upper  flange. 

Let  Y  Y,  fig.  11,  be  the  critical  section  for  the  lower  flange. 

Let  T,  be  the  thrust  acting  at  section  X  X. 

Let  a  be  its  greatest  distance  from  the  lower  edge  of  the  web. 

Let  dx  be  the  depth  of  the  frame  at  X  X. 

Let  T2  be  the  thrust  acting  at  Y  Y. 

Let  b  be  its  greatest  distance  from  the  upper  edge  of  the  web. 

Let  d>  be  the  depth  of  the  frame  at  Y  Y. 

Let  Fj  be  the  area  of  the  upper  flange. 

Let  F2  be  the  area  of  the  lower  flange. 

Let /  be  the  stress  in  the  upper  flange  at  section  X  X. 

Let/  be  the  stress  in  the  lower  flange  at  section  X  X. 

Let/,  be  the  stress  in  the  upper  flange  at  section  Y  Y. 

Let/,  be  the  stress  in  the  lower  flange  at  section  Y  Y. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


*7  O 

<  2 


Then  in  section  X  X,  if  it  be  assumed  that  the  stress  varies  uni¬ 
formly  from  f.  at  the  lower  edge  to  fx  at  the  upper  edge,  the  resistance 


of  the  web  will  be 


(]i  t  (/i  4-/3) 
9 


and  tin*  distance  of  its  center  of  resist¬ 


ance  from  its  lower  edge  will  be 


f/i  (2/i  +  fs) 

3  (A  4-/3) 


If  we  assume  the  center  of  gravity  of  the  flanges  to  be  at  the  edge 
of  the  web,  the  resistance  of  flanges  may  be  taken  to  be  Fj  f\  and  F 2/8, 
and  by  taking  moments  above  the  lower  edge  we  have: 


Also  for  equilibrium: 


T1=/1F1+/3F2  + 


(h  1  [fi  +  ./;;) 


(15) 

(16) 


Making  these  two  equations  simultaneous,  any  two  of  its  factors 
may  be  found,  the  rest  being  known. 

In  like  manner,  equations  for  Sections  Y  Y,  fig.  11,  may  be  formed. 
They  are: 


5t2=cZ2/2  F2+^M+^) 


T,=/2  F2+F1/44- 


t  ifz+fi) 


(17) 

(18) 


The  conditions  of  economical  proportioning  are  that  F,  and  Fa 
shall  be  such  that  fx  at  Section  X  X  shall  have  the  value  of  the  maxi¬ 
mum  allowable  intensity  of  pressure  when  Tel  is  acting,  and/2  at  Sec¬ 
tion  Y  Y  shall  have  the  maximum  allowable  intensity  of  compression 
when  T,.,  is  acting. 

Eliminating  f3  from  equations  15  and  16,  we  have: 


8aTt  fjdi  6aTt 
dt  2 


of  , 


v\+ 


dit 


Eliminating /4  from  equations  17  and  18,  we  have: 


sbh_m_  T  _of¥ 

d,  2  1  -  2 


66T2  BfiF, 
^  dMT  dd 


(19) 


(20) 


If  the  flanges  do  not  change  in  section  between  X  X  and  Y  Y,  then 
equations  (19)  and  (20)  are  simultaneous  in  F,  and  F2. 

The  web  is  made  sufficient  to  resist  all  shearing  strains,  which  con¬ 
sideration  may  determine  /.  although  for  practical  reasons  in  the 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


173 


present  work  the  webs  were  made  much  heavier  than  this  requirement 
would  demand. 

For  any  particular  case  a,  b,  du  d2,  rl\,  and  Ta  are  known  from  the 
stress  diagram.  If  their  values  and  the  maximum  allowable  inten¬ 
sity  of  compression  be  substituted  for  f\  and/2,  equations  11)  and  20 
become  quite  simple  and  may  readily  be  solved  for  F,  and  F2. 

This  method  is  direct,  and  it  was  found  to  require  very  much  less 
time  than  the  tentative  process. 

In  many  frames  of  the  shape  used  the  lower  flange  was  determined 
by  the  minimum  allowable  section.  By  substituting  F2  in  equation 
19,  Fj  may  be  found  at  once. 

After  Fj  and  F2  are  found  by  equations  (19)  and  (20),  they  may  be 
readily  checked  by  equations  (13)  and  (14).  This  was  done  in  all  cases. 

The  lower  or  downstream  flange  is  relatively  light,  and  consists  of 
two  angles  reenforced  at  their  ends. 

The  section  required  for  the  upstream  flange  is  in  most  cases  large. 
It  consists  of  two  heavy  angles,  a  certain  amount  of  the  sheathing, 
and  a  cover  plate,  which  acts  also  as  a  splice  plate  for  the  sheathing. 

What  part  the  sheathing  plates  play  in  resisting  flange  strain  is  in 
doubt.  Some  designers  neglect  its  action  on  account  of  the  doubt  and 
others  would  consider  the  entire  sheathing  as  part  of  the  flanges. 
That  part  of  the  sheathing  plate  which  is  connected  to  the  flange 
angles  must  certainly  act  with  the  rest  of  the  flange  in  resisting 
strain,  since  any  change  of  length  of  the  angles  must  cause  a  like 
change  in  that  part  of  the  plate  which  is  attached  to  the  angles. 

The  uncertainty  lies  in  the  inability  to  determine  just  how  far  away 
from  the  flange  this  action  extends. 

In  the  present  work  the  flange  section  has  been  determined  for  the 
low-unit  stress  of  10,000  pounds  per  square  inch,  and  when  two  6-inch 
angles  are  used  a  strip  of  sheathing  16  inches  wide  has  been  counted 
as  part  of  the  flange  section,  and  when  two  4-inch  angles  are  used  a 
strip  of  sheathing  12  inches  wide  was  counted.  The  probability  is 
that  the  sheathing  has  much  greater  effect  than  has  been  assumed, 
reducing  the  maximum  stress  to,  say,  seven  or  eight  thousand  pounds 
per  square  inch.  On  the  other  hand,  even  should  the  sheathing  not 
act  at  all  the  stress  in  the  flanges  would  not  be  excessive. 

VERTICAL  FRAMING. 

The  vertical  system  of  framing  consists  of  the  quoin  and  miter 
posts  already  described  and  two  systems  of  vertical  frames  built  in 
between  the  horizontals.  They  are  shown  in  tig.  4,  plate  70. 

These  frames,  when  combined  with  heavy  vertical  plates,  which 
extend  from  top  to  bottom  on  each  side  of  the  gate,  form  girders  of 
considerable  strength. 

They  are  not,  however,  introduced  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  any 
part  of  the  load,  but  to  stiffen  the  whole  structure. 


174 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


In  the  middle  of  the  gates  for  the  80-foot  locks,  a  system  of  light 
frames  is  introduced  to  stiffen  the  flanges  and  webs  of  the  horizontal 
frames. 

EFFECT  OF  VERTICAL  STIFFNESS. 

The  ideal  condition  of  distribution  of  loads  among  the  frames  of  the 
gate  would  be  for  each  horizontal  frame  to  resist  the  water  pressure 
which  falls  upon  it.  This  condition  can  not  exist,  however,  so  long 
as  the  gate  has  any  vertical  st  iffness  and  bears  against  the  sill. 

It  is  impracticable  to  build  a  gate  with  no  vertical  stiffness,  and  in 
fact  impossible  if  curved  skin  plates  are  used,  for  the  curved  sheath¬ 
ing  forms  a  strong  vertical  girder  especially  as  it  is  stiffened  very 
frequently. 

This  sheathing,  when  combined  with  the  quoin  and  miter  posts  and 
the  other  vertical  framing  necessary,  makes  the  gate  a  vertical  girder, 
which  has  the  effect  of  changing  the  loading  of  the  horizontal  frames 
very  decidedly  from  that  due  to  direct  water  pressure.  This  may  be 
seen  from  the  following  illustration : 

Let  fig.  12  be  a  transverse  section  of  a  gate  taken  at  the  middle  of 
one  leaf,  acted  upon  bj'  a  head  of  water  II  +  11  on  one  side  and  D  on 
the  other.  If  O  be  the  origin  of  coordinates,  the  axis  of  X  being  hor¬ 
izontal,  the  abscissas  of  the  line  abc  will  represent  the  intensities  of 
water  pressure  at  any  point  on  of. 

If  each  of  the  horizontal  frames  were  proportioned  to  resist  with  the 
same  stress  simply  the  water  pressure  that  falls  upon  it,  and  there 
were  no  contact  at  the  sill,  then  the  whole  section  would  deflect  to  a 
new  position  A'O'  parallel  to  AO.  If,  however,  it  is  held  at  the  sill 
and  has  vertical  strength,  it  will  take  the  position  A'  O. 

The  horizontal  frames  near  the  bottom  of  the  gate  will  be  relieved 
of  a  part  of  their  load,  some  of  which  will  be  carried  to  the  sill  and 
the  remainder  to  the  upper  horizontal  frames,  which  will  now  be  over¬ 
loaded.  To  meet  this  overloading  and  also  for  practical  reasons,  the 
horizontal  frames  in  the  upper  part  of  the  gate  must  be  made  stronger 
than  would  be  required  to  resist  simply  the  load  of  water  pressure 
which  comes  upon  them. 

To  determine  the  distribution  of  the  loads  upon  the  horizontal  frames 
is  important.  The  problem,  however,  is  somewhat  complicated  since 
it  involves  the  elasticity  of  every  part  of  the  gate  and  is  therefore  not 
soluble  by  the  equations  of  statics,  and  for  the  same  reason  the  solu¬ 
tion  can  not  p recede  the  design,  but  must  follow  and  be  a  check  upon  it. 

The  determination  of  the  distribution  of  the  loads  among  the  hori¬ 
zontal  frames  answers  the  two  questions  that  are  of  prime  importance 
in  connection  with  the  subject. 

First.  Are  the  horizontal  frames  properly  proportioned?  (The  dan¬ 
ger  exists  that  the  upper  frames  will  be  overloaded  when  the  gate 
bears  against  the  sill,  and  that  the  lower  frames  will  be  overloaded  if 
the  gate  does  not  touch  the  sill.) 


/■  // 


jL  A.  A. 


JULIUS  BIEN  «  CO  PHOTO.  UTH 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


' 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


175 


Second.  Will  the  deflection  of  the  gate  be  such  as  to  overstrain  the 
vertical  system? 

The  earliest  record  that  we  have  of  an  attempt  to  solve  this  problem 
is  the  Annales  des  Fonts  et  Chaussees  for  1850,  in  which  M.  Chevalier 
gives  an  account  of  a  series  of  experiments  upon  wooden  models. 
From  the  results  of  these  experiments  he  drew  the  conclusion  that  the 
horizontal  frames  should  be  made  of  equal  strength  and  be  equally 
spaced.  This  rule  has  been  quite  generally  followed  by  French  engi¬ 
neers  to  the  present  time,  and  it  seems  to  be  a  very  good  one  for  most 
of  the  gates  that  they  have  had  to  deal  with,  namely,  tidal  gates,  and 
gates  for  locks,  the  lift  of  which  is  small. 

In  18(17  M.  Lavoinne  published  in  Annales  des  Ponts  et  Chaussees  a 
paper  on  the  subject,  in  which  he  gave  a  very  complicated  analysis  of 
the  effect  of  vertical  stiffness  upon  the  distribution  of  loads  among  the 
horizontal  frames. 

In  1886  M.  Galliot  published  also  in  Annales  des  Fonts  et  Chaussees 
the  results  of  his  investigations  of  the  same  subject.  lie  worked  upon 
the  same  lines  as  Lavoinne  and  obtained  formulae  which  give  practi¬ 
cally  the  same  results.  Both  Lavoinne  and  Galliot  made  their  analyses 
upon  the  supposition  that  the  horizontal  frames  are  of  equal  strength 
and  equally  spaced  and  that  the  gate  is  of  the  same  material  through¬ 
out.  In  their  analyses  they  were  obliged  to  make  numerous  other 
assumptions  and  approximations  in  order  to  simplify  the  work. 

The  condition  of  equal  strength  and  equal  spacing  of  horizontal 
frames  is  far  from  existing  in  the  gates  which  have  been  designed 
for  the  locks  of  the  deep  waterways.  Neither  are  the  gates  of  the 
same  material  throughout.  The  fact  that  timber  has  been  used  in 
the  quoin  and  miter  posts  is  a  very  important  factor  in  the  problem. 

These  facts  make  the  formulae  of  Lavoinne  and  Galliot  entirely 
inapplicable  to  the  case  in  hand. 

Captain  Hodges,  in  his  book  “Notes  on  Mitering  Lock  Gates,”  has 
developed  an  excellent  practical  rule  for  use  in  proportioning  the 
horizontal  frames.  It  is,  however,  purely  empirical. 

Other  than  the  cases  just  mentioned,  no  record  has  been  found  of 
any  solutions  of  this  problem. 

As  none  of  the  solutions  mentioned  above  are  entirely  satisfactory, 
and  the  importance  of  the  problem  is  such  that  it  can  not  well  be 
neglected,  considerable  attention  has  been  given  to  the  developing  of 
a  method  of  treating  the  subject. 

Numerous  measurements  were  made  of  the  deflection  of  the  steel 
gates  of  the  Poe  lock  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie  as  a  check  on  the  results  of 
the  theoretical  analysis. 

The  method  of  treating  the  problem  which  has  been  developed  is 
believed  to  be  theoretically  correct,  and  its  results  agree  very  closely 
with  the  results  of  the  measurements  taken  on  the  Poe  locks  gates. 

The  framing  of  the  gate  consists  of  a  series  of  horizontal  frames 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


17(5 


and  practically  a  single  vertical  girder  covering  the  entire  gate.  This 
vertical  girder  consists  of  Ihe  quoin  and  miter  posts,  two  vertical 
frames,  and  the  curved  skin  plates.  All  of  these  taken  together  form 
a  girder  of  considerable  stiffness. 

This  vertical  girder  may  be  considered  to  have  a  moment  of  inertia 
equal  to  the  moment  of  inertia  of  all  these  parts  considered  as  a  single 
piece,  so  long  as  no  buckling  takes  place  in  the  skin  plates.  A  certain 
amount  of  buckling  will  no  doubt  occur,  but  as  the  skin  plates  are 
stiffened  very  frequently  they  will  develop  a  very  large  percentage  of 
their  full  strength. 

In  the  following  analysis  Ihe  assumption  is  made  that  no  bending 
occurs  in  the  horizontal  frames.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  bending  will 
nearly  always  occur,  even  when  the  horizontal  frames  are  circular 
arches,  and  it  will  always  occur  in  the  frame  shown  in  the  adopted 
designs.  The  deflection  of  the  gate  due  to  bending  of  the  horizontal 
frames  is,  however,  insignificant  compared  to  that  caused  by  short¬ 
ening  of  the  frames  under  compression. 

As  an  example,  consider  the  horizontal  frame  next  to  the  bottom  of 
the  upper  gate  for  the  lock  at  Oriskany,  N.  Y.,  shown  on  plate  72. 

The  deflection  of  the  miter  post,  due  to  shortening  of  the  gate,  is 
l.G  inches,  according  to  equation  (21). 

The  positive  bending  moment  under  normal  conditions  takes  place 
along  a  length  of  about  15  feet  in  the  middle  of  the  horizontal  frame. 
Outside  this  range  the  line  of  thrust  lies  either  on  or  below  the  center 
of  gravity  of  the  sections.  Computing  the  maximum  deflections  of 
this  same  horizontal  frame,  caused  by  bending,  we  get  at  the  middle 
only  0.09  inch,  which  is  small  in  comparison  with  1.6  inches,  due  to 
shortening  of  the  gate. 

The  strength  of  the  vertical  girder  is  distributed  by  the  skin  plates 
nearly  uniformly  over  the  entire  width  of  the  leaf  and  may  be  taken 
quite  so.  Under  the  assumption  that  no  bending  occurs  in  the  hori¬ 
zontal  frame,  the  deflection  of  any  frame  will  vary  uniformly  from 
0  at  the  quoin  post  to  a  maximum  at  the  miter  post. 

The  resistance,  after  deflection  of  a  vertical  beam  of  uniform 
strength  and  a  width  equal  to  the  width  of  the  gate,  will  also  vary  in 
the  same  way.  The  center  of  resistance  will  therefore  be  at  a  point 
two-thirds  of  the  distance  from  the  quoin  post  to  the  miter  post. 

The  magnitude  of  this  resistance  will  be  the  force  required  to  deflect 
the  whole  beam  one-half  the  deflection  at  the  miter  post. 

Fig.  i:>  represents  an  isometric  projection  of  the  frames  of  a  miter¬ 


ing  gate. 

qq  represents  the  hollow  quoins. 

trim  represents  the  center  line  of  the  meeting  faces. 

F0Fj,  etc.,  represent  the  horizontal  frames. 

</y  represents  the  center  line  of  the  vertical  girder. 

'The  full  lines  represent  t  he  position  of  the  various  parts  of  the  gate 
closed,  but  with  no  pressure  upon  it. 


UI-iuS  blENSCO  PHOTO.  UTh 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


177 


The  broken  lines  represent  the  position  which  the  gate  takes  under 
stress. 

Let — 

2  A  =deflection  of  miter  post  at  any  intersection  with  a  horizontal 
frame. 

T=axial  thrust  in  horizontal  frame.  This  thrust  is  very  nearly 
constant  throughout  the  length  of  the  frame.  (See  strain 
sheet,  fig.  8.) 

L=length  of  horizontal  frame. 

L'=length  of  steel  in  horizontal  frame. 

/=combined  thickness  of  timber  in  quoin  and  miter  post. 
r=rise  of  sill=y  o1?  fig.  3. 

A'=sectional  area  of  steel  in  horizontal  frame. 

A"  =  area  of  wood  compressed  by  horizontal  frame. 

E'  =  modulus  of  elasticity  of  steel. 

E"  =  modulus  of  elasticity  of  wood. 

d  L=the  change  of  length  of  a  horizontal  frame  under  stress. 

P=tlie  water  pressure  on  any  horizontal  frame. 

X=the  reaction  of  any  horizontal  frame  against  the  vertical  girder, 
the  direction  of  water  pressure  being  taken  as  positive. 

Let  the  horizontal  frames  be  numbered  from  the  top  downward, 
beginning  with  0,  and  let  all  subscripts  refer  to  this  numbering. 

,  r 


but 


d  L=T 


L' 


t 


2A=—  T  ( — 
r  VAT 


A'  E'  A"  E" 

t 


S'+A"E") 


(21) 


and  taking  moments  about  the  hollow  quoin 


T_P  L_2 X  L 

2  r  3  r 


substituting: 


o^_pr^(  L'  + _ —  )~|  —  xf1— -(  -  +  1  )~[  (22) 

|_2r2TVE'^A''E"'J  L:ir2lA;E'  +  A"E"jJ  '  '  ^ 


The  deflection  of  any  point  in  the  center  line  of  the  vertical  girder 
will  be  equal  to  A  or  one-half  the  deflection  of  the  miter  post: 


A-PQl:r^A'  E'+A"E"^  X(j3ra(A'  E'+A"E"0  ’  ’  ^ 


Let  the  coefficient  of  P  be  represented  by  A.  The  coefficient  of  X  is 
f  times  that  of  P,  so  we  may  write : 

A  =A  P— jjrA  X . (24) 

The  value  of  A  is  a  constant  for  each  horizontal  frame. 

H.  Doc.  14(J - 12 


178 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


We  have  then — 


A(l  —  A„  1  (|  g  A0  X0 

Aj  =  At  Pt  -g  A,  Xj 
4  t 

A  2  =  A._)  P;,  g  A;,  Xa 
A3  =  X3  1*3  O  As  X, 


A, 


A4  P4  o  X4  X, 


An  =  A 5  Pr>  —  A.-  X.- 


•  (25) 


or- 


A5  -  Iv 

The  condition  of  the  sill  contact  determines  the  value  of  A5. 

If  there  is  no  sill  contact  the  first  value  of  AR  is  to  be  used,  or — 

A  5  =  X.R  ^5  ^  X-  X5. 

If  the  gate  bears  against  the  sill,  then  the  deflection  is  no  longer  a 
function  of  the  strength  of  the  lower  horizontal  frame,  but  is  a  cer¬ 
tain  amount  (K),  which  may  usually  be  taken  as  zero. 

When  the  gate  bears  against  the  sill,  X.  will  be  the  sill  reaction. 

We  may  express  X0  and  X5  in  terms  of  Xt,  X.,,  X8,  and  X4.  By 
moments  about  the  bottom  of  the  gate, 

Xy  =  —  (I  X,  4-  4  X.,  4-  2  X3  +  X4)  .  . 

and  about  top  of  gate, 

1 


XH  =  —  5  (X,  4-  2  X,  -f  3  X3  4-  4  X4)  .  . 

Equations  ('25)  then  become: 

Ao  =  A„  P0  4-  Yg  X„  (-1  Xj  4-  3  X,  +  2  X3  4-  x4) 
A  i  =  At  P4  g  A,  X, 


(27) 


or- 


A  2  -  X,  P;J  g  A.,  X2 

A  3  =  A 3  P3  -g  A3  X3 

4 

A4  =  A4  P4  —  g  a4  x4 

Ar.  =  A5  P5  4~  Y5  X5  (X4  4-  2  X.4  -f  3  X8  -f  1  X4) 
A.  =  K. 


(28) 


Let  fig.  14  represent  a  transverse  section  of  the  gate  taken  on  the 
center  line  of  the  vertical  girder,  in  which  g  g  represents  the  center 
line  of  the  vertical  girder  before  deflection  and  the  curved  line  g'  g' 
represents  the  same  line  after  deflection  takes  place. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


179 


Let  A0  Aj,  etc.,  vy  v2,  etc.,  be  as  indicated  in  the  figure. 
Then 

4  1 

—  A  |  £  A  0  g  A  5 

3  2 

v2 — Aa  g  A„  g  A5 

2  3 

^3 — ^3  5^0  A  5 

1  .  4 

V  4 —  A  4  fj  A  "  g  ^  5 


Substituting  the  values  of  A  given  by  equations  (28)  into  the  above 
equations,  we  have  for  gate  without  contact  at  sill : 

/4  4  64  t  4  4  \  / 48  4  8  .  \  /32  . 

— ^i— (  3  Ai+ygA0+75A5 JX,  +  (  j5A„  +  ^5A5  jX.,+  (^75A„  + 

75^5^) ^3+ (^75^0+-^ A3  )  X4-A1Pl+gA0P„+gA5PB 

/48  .  ,  8  A  X  v  ,  A4  A  36  4  16  .  X  v  .  /24  , 

v* “ V75Ao+75AVXi+  \3  A2+75A°+75AV^  2  v75A°  ' 

3 


“A.W18 


75~'°  3 

'32 


32 


7gA0+7gA5  j  X4— A2P2-f-g  A0P0+g  A5P5 
12  .  \  /24  .  24  .  \  /  4  .  16 


V*  V75Ao"*"75 A5  )Xi  +  V75A(,+7 5Afi  )X‘i+(  ‘S  A;,+75A"  + 
75  As  )x3i+  (  T^An  +  Tg  A5  )  X4— A3P3+g"Ac,P„+g'A5P5 


(29) 


— vA 


5 

48 


16  .  16  \  /T2  32  \  f  8  48  .  \ 

7gA0+^AgJX1+(^7gA0+^A5)x2+(^7gA(,+7gA5) 


X3+(  g  A4+7gA0+^As  )  X4— A4P4-|-g  A0P0+g A5Pb 


And  for  contact  at  sill : 

'4  .  .64  ,  .  48 

■Vi  — 


—  (  ,r  A,  +  ~  A()^X,4-~  A0X2+—  A0X3+,__  A0X4—  AtPt  + 

4-a,,p„+‘k 

48  /4  36  \  24  12 

l'i  75  -XoXt"i”(  —  A2+^-A0  j  X2+— A0X3+—  A0X4  A2P2-(- 


32  y  /i  /  II)  \  ^ 

=75  A(>Xi+^g  A0Xa4-(  g  A3+75  A0  )  X3+  —  A0X4  —  A3P3  + 

5  A»Po+|  K 

— -v4=^  AoXt+^r  AoX2+  —  A0X34-(  y  A4  +  __  A0  )  X4— A4P4+ 


3 


VO 


/o 


75 


— r 


24 


5  A»P»+S  K 
16 


(30) 


75 


75 


75 

L 

5 


5i 


A0P()+-  K 


180 


DEEP  WATER W AYS. 


The  equations  given  above  express  the  deflections  i\  r2,  etc.,  in 
terms  of  the  loads  and  the  properties  of  the  horizontal  frames. 

We  will, now  derive  independently  the  value  of  the  same  deflections 
expressed  in  terms  of  the  loads  and  the  properties  of  the  vertical 
girder. 

We  will  flrst  demonstrate  the  following  proposition: 

If  a  simple  beam  be  acted  upon  by  a  series  of  transverse  forces 
P,  P2,  etc.,  then 


in  which 

M=the  bending  moment  at  any  point. 

E  =the  modulus  of  elasticity  of  the  material. 

I  =tlie  moment  of  inertia  of  the  beam. 

P„  =  any  transverse  force. 

vn  =  the  movement  of  the  point  of  application  of  the  force  Pn  with 
respect  to  a  straight  line  joining  any  two  points  of  the  beam 
(usually  points  of  support).  vn  must  be  measured  in  the  direc¬ 
tion  of  the  force  Pn. 

L  =  the  length  of  the  beam. 

In  fig.  15: 

Let  ^  p-z2hPilJ5pti  represent  the  center  line  of  a  straight  beam  under 
the  action  of  the  forces  Pj  P2  .  P8. 

Let  px  pi  be  considered  fixed  points. 

The  position  of  the  center  line  of  the  beam  without  load  is  a  straight 
line  drawn  through  px  p4. 

Let  the  movement  of  the  points  px  p2,  etc.,  under  the  action  of  tne 
forces  Pj  P2,  etc.,  be  vx  v2,  etc. 

In  passing  from  one  condition  of  loading  to  another  work  is  done. 
'I’he  total  work  of  all  the  external  forces  acting  upon  the  beam  is — 


By  the  doctrine  of  the  conservation  of  energy,  this  must  be  equaled 
by  the  internal  work  done  in  distorting  the  beam.  This  internal  work 
is  done  in  lengthening  and  compressing  the  material,  and  stored  as 
potential  energy  in  the  material  to  be  given  back  if  the  forces  are 
removed  and  the  beam  springs  batik  to  its  initial  position. 

In  fig.  16: 

Let  cc  be  an  infinitesimal  portion  of  length  <1  L  of  the  neutral  axis  of 
the  beam  under  stress. 

Let  n  n'  and  m  w'  be  normal  sections. 

Let  i  be  the  angle  n'  r  r'. 

Let  y  be  iht*  distance  from  the  neutral  axis  to  any  point  q  on  the  sec¬ 
tion  n  n' . 


Fig*.  16. 


JULIUS  BIEN  l  CO  PHOTO  LITH 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


■ 

. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


181 


Let  f  be  the  stress  at  point  q. 

Let  yx  =  c  n. 

Let  y-2  =  c  ri. 

Before  the  beam  was  stressed  n  ri  was  parallel  to  m  m' ,  or  in  a 
position  r  r' . 

The  average  force  acting  upon  unit  area  at  q  is  —  /,  and  the  distance 
through  which  it  acts  is  y  i. 

Then  neglecting  the  distortion  caused  by  shear,  which  is  practically 
zero,  the  work  done  on  an  area  a  at  q  is: 

7  f  a  V  i 

a  w  =  : - -  • 

The  work  upon  the  whole  prism  n  ri  vri  m  is: 

W-V 


Vi 


The  total  internal  work  in  the  whole  beam  is: 

L  * — .  y2  ^ 


W 


V  V  Z» Mi 

Zj. „ '  2 


The  total  external  work  done  upon  the  beam  is: 

w  =  Pi  VX  +  P2  Vt  •  •  •  Pn  Vn. 


Equating  external  with  internal  work  and  clearing  of  fractions,  we 
have : 

.v1  —  '■ 


Pi^i  +  P2^2  •  •  •  Pn  Pn  =  J  I  fay  i. 

o  ~V\ 

Differentiating  this  equation  with  respect  to  Pn,  we  have: 

L  ^ — .  y% 


‘-S  S 


df_ 
d  P„ 


a  y  i. 


~V\ 


But, 

Then, 

and 


,  My 


f  = 


I 


df  _  d  M  y 
d  Pn  dPn  I 

v  j  — /  d  L  _  M  i/  d  L 
J  E  El 


182 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


7  n 

Substituting  the  values  of  and  y  i  we  have 

(X  x  n 


kL 


— 


^  ft 

V 


Z_J 


cZ  M  y  a  My  d  L  _  (Z  M  M 


i7 


—/A  dPn  I  El 


(Z  P n  E  I2 


y% 

M  2  ' 

i  i2 


a  y 2  d  L 


but 

We  therefore  have : 


ft 

Y,  ay2=I 
-ft 


L 


fti  = 


aKST*1  QED- 


Turning  now  to  the  vertical  girder  of  the  gate,  the  forces  acting  on 
it  are  XQ  Xt  X2,  etc. 

Let  Mj  be  the  bending  moment  at  any  point  in  the  top  panel  of  the 
vertical  girder. 

Let  Mo  M3,  etc.,  be  the  moments  in  the  second  and  third  panels  etc., 
Let  y  be  the  distance  of  any  point  in  any  panel  from  the  horizontal 
■  frame  next  below  it. 

M5  =  y  X,  =  -  y  (-Y  +  |  X,  +  |  Xs  +  |  X4) 


d  M„_  y 
d  Xx  5 

d  X~  5  J 

d^*y 


d  X, 
d  M, 


o 

4 


d  X4 


y 


d  M5  M 


y 


dxfEI=25Er(X.  +  2  X*+3  X*+4X*) 

X  d  Xj  EIf^“150  El  (2Xi+4X2+6X,+8X4) 


y 2 


Hflf=2#El(2X.+4'Y+liX»+8X*) 

I"  50  KI  0  X,  +  8  x2+12  Xs+  16  X4) 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


183 


In  the  same  way, 

Cci  d  M5  M. .  a3  , 
J0  d  X3  EI(  -y_150  El 


I 


a  tZ  M5  M,  a3  . 

<Z  X4  El  “*150  EE8A,t 


:E>X4) 


M4=  ( «  +  »/ )  X,  -  ~{a+y)X.i-^{a+y)X.i-^(4:a-y)  X4 

d  M4  1, 

dx~  ?>(a+y) 

d  M4  2 

Tx.r~  5{a+y) 

d  M  3  , 

ar-5 
(ZM4  1  , 
dx=-5^a-y] 


d  M4  M 4_(a  +  -if)  /y  ,  •>  y  _L-1  V  \_l  1  a2 3  ay  —  y2  v 
fZ  Xj  E  I  25  E  I  +  w  As!+‘  25  E  I  X< 


•a 


:!4L?n  =  OT  <14  -X'+2S  x*+«  x»+»  x<> 


In  like  manner, 

*a 

d  M4  M4  7  —  a  /0£  y  ,  Kg  y  I  jjj  y  |  />o  y  \ 

d  X.,  E  l ,l,J-  BobTI  A,+'”  A'i+  4  As+  x<> 


a6 


n  (12  Xj+84  Xa+126  X3+93  X4) 


150  E 


(Z^L4  /7  V  =  WET  <31  Xi  +  62  x2+93  x3+74  X4) 


For  the  third  panel, 


M,=  '2-a+V  (X.-+2  X2)-f  (3  a—y)  X,  -  \  (3  a-y)  X, 

O  t)  o 


ft'5 


150  E  I 


■37  X4) 


or 


150  E  I 


184 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


•a 


iy  o 


jJA  „  = 

<JXSEI  ' 


150  E  I 


v  T  ("4  X,  +  148  X24-152  X3-f76  X4) 


•a 


<?  M3  M.  7  „  _  a3  /rtfy  v  v  ,  „„ 
d  X ,  E  I '  U  150  E  I  Xl+  74  X2+ ' 0 


For  the  second  panel, 

M2  =  —  i  (3  « — 2/)  X4  —  |  (2  a— y)  X2  — 1(2  a  —  */)  X3  —  I  (2  a  - y)  X 

0  O  O 


or 


150  E  I 


2 TT  T  ^  y  1  TT  T  X1  +  ,S 


150  E  I 


cr 


For  the  first  panel, 

M,  =  —  Uci—y)  X,  —  |  (a—y)  X2  —  | (a—?/)  X3—  *  (a—?/)  X4 

t)  O  u  t) 


'a 


*  Mi  Mi  d  v 
d  X,  E  I  J 


ac 


150  E  I 


7.  T  Xl+2 


(/  x2e  i  J 


a 


150  g  I  (24  Xj  +  18  X2+12Xs+6  X4) 


a 


d  M,  M.  7  _  a3  __  ,  . 

dX.EI  '  U  “  150  E  I  ^  Xi  +  li 


O 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


185 


Vi  = 


5  a 

f  d  M  M 
)  (IX,  El 


a 


cl  L  = 


=  [d  d  +  fdM2M,  d  fdM,M,  d 
]  rf  Xt  E  I  //  ^  I  d  X,  E  I  J  ^  J  d  X,  E I  J 


a 


a 


+ 


(S#i  •'*+(«#*»- 


cr 


150  E  I 


(1(50  X,  +  225  X3+200  X3 


+  115  X4) 

In  the  same  way 


cv 


t',=  150  E  x  (226  X,  +360  X.+340  X.+200X.) 
‘■•“lSO'I  <200  X'+340  X.+S00  X,+22SX4) 
<’4=180<,E  I  <115  x,  +  2(>0  Xs+226  Xs+160  X4) 


Equating  these  values  of  r,  r2,  etc.,  with  those  in  group  of  equations 
(29)  and  (30),  we  have,  after  clearing  of  fractions,  for  no  contact  at 
sill: 


(200  At+ 128  A0+8  A,+^^)  X,  +  (96  A0+16  AS+^A°)  Xa+(64  A0 

+  24A5  +  ^-3)X3+(32  A0+32A5+^3)X4-150A1P1  +  120A0Po 
+  30  A5  Pb=0 

O OKn3  360oA 

(96A„+10AS+^)  X,  +  (200  Aa+  72  A„  +  32  A,+^)  X, 


225  a3 


+  (48A(,+48A5+3^23)  Xs+(24  A0+64  A„+^A°)  X.  -  160 

A2  P2+90  Aq  P(i+60  A5  P5=0. 


200a\ 


(64  A, ,+24  A5+^'"J)  X,  +  (48  A„+48  As+^L‘)  Xa+(200AS+ 


32  A„+72  A,+?^)  X,+  (l«  A.,+98  A,- 


225a3 


E  I 


)  X4— 150  A3  P 3 


(31) 


+  60  An  Pq+90  A5  P5=0. 


(32  A(l+32  A-+ y^y)  X4+(24  A0+64  A5+  y^y-)  A2+(16  A„+ 


925a3 


96  Ag+^y1)  X3  +  (200  A4+8  A0+128  A.-,+^^y )  X4  — 150  A4P4 

+  30  A0  P0+120  A5  P5=0. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


186 

For  contact  at  sill — 

.  .  ,  ,0  .  .  IGOa3,  .  /nfl  *  ,  225a\  v  .  .  .  200a3 \ 

(200  Aj  +  128  A0+-gj )  X,  +  (96  A0+-^-j-)  X2+(64  A0+^-^) 

X3+(32  A0+1^)  X4— 150  A,  Pj  +  120  A0P0+30  K=0. 

its  1 


(96A„+^£)  XI  +  (200A.,+  72A„+^3)  X2+(4S  A„+^8) 
X,  (24  A„  +  7^_)  X.-150  A.,  P.,+!)0  A„  P„+«0  K=0. 

(64A,+-'^)  X,  +  (48  A0+'^-3)  X.,+  (200  A:,+32  A„+^) 

O  O  o/y  3 

X8+(16  A0+  jjrj- )  X4 — 150  A 3  P3+6O  A0  P0+  00  K=0. 

hi  l 

(32AI1+I^"S)  X,  +  (24  A„+^|S)  X!+(l(iA„+^2?)X,+  (200 
A4+8  A.+  fa3)  X,- 150  A,  P,+  30  A„  P„+ 120  K=0. 


(32) 


The  only  unknown  quantities  in  these  equations  are  X4  X.,  X3  X4. 

The  numerical  values  of  A0  At  A2  .  A-  may  be  substituted 

and  the  simultaneous  equations  solved  for  X,  X2,  etc. 

These  equations  apply  to  a  gate  with  six  horizontal  frames. 

A  set  of  equations  may  be  derived  in  a  similar  manner  for  a  gate 
with  any  number  of  horizontal  frames.  There  will  always  be  two 
fewer  equations  than  there  are  horizontal  frames. 

In  some  of  the  higher  gates  there  will  be  as  many  as  30  horizontal 
frames.  It  would  be  impracticable  to  attempt  the  solution  of  28  simul¬ 
taneous  equations,  and,  in  fact,  it  is  not  necessary  to  do  so.  The 
horizontal  frames  may  be  grouped  into  a  few  groups,  each  of  which 
may  be  then  considered  a  horizontal  frame. 

It  is  evident  that  the  error  in  so  doing  is  due  to  considering  the 
center  line  of  the  vertical  girder  to  be  straight  between  the  half  panel 
points.  As  the  curve  of  the  vertical  girder  is  extremely  flat,  the  error 
in  such  an  assumption  must  be  very  slight.  We  may  then  group  the 
horizontal  frames  into  six  parts  equally  spaced,  and  determine  the 
constants,  which  may  then  be  substituted  into  equations  (31)  or  (32), 
as  the  case  may  bp,  and  from  them  the  desired  loading  found. 

To  make  this  clearer,  let  us  make  the  application  to  one  of  the  gates 
designed.  Fig.  17  represents  the  section  of  the  lower  gate  for  the 
80-foot  lock  No.  7  of  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  route. 

The  first  diagram  shows  the  arrangement  and  sectional  area  of  the 
horizontal  frames;  tin*  second  shows  the  arrangement  and  sectional 
area  of  the  frames  after  they  are  grouped. 


092=  02- - - - -x . . . ,,  S>Ot?  =,  +  2 

- - - - £03-  ^  £\  £9 - - 


SQ.  //v. 
///.  2 


SQ.  /N. 


A 


SI/  s/ 


/7S.O 


2/3.5 


2653 


235.3 


/5<3.5 


Fig.  17. 


JULIUS  BIEN  &  CO  PHOTO  UTH 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


' 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


187 


L=552  see  plate  73. 
17=528  inches. 
r=200  inches. 
f=22  inches. 

E'  =  29000000. 

E' =20000. 


A„= 


A, 


552 3  7 

528 

—  4x200  2V  A' 

29000000 

.00003467  , 

.00209484 

-  A'  + 

A" 

.00003467 

.00209484 

l  111.25  + 

1722.6  ~ 

.00003467 

.00209484 

178 

3445.2  _ 

.00003467  . 

.00209484 

~  213.5 

3445.2  ~ 

.00003467  . 

.00209484 

~  285.3 

3445.2  ~ 

.00003467 

.00209484 

_  285.3 

3445.2  ~ 

.00003467 

.00209484 

158.5 

1722.6 

oo 

u  u 


A”  22,000 


.000,001,525 

.000,000,802 

.000,000,770 

.000,000,729 

.000,000,729 

.000,001,433 


P0=  47,000  pounds. 

1*!=  452,000  pounds. 
P2=  926,000  pounds. 
P3= 1,100,000  pounds. 
P4  =  1,100, 000  pounds. 
P.-  =  550,000  pounds. 


If  the  gate  had  no  vertical  stiffness  then  X0  Xt,  etc.,  would  be  zero 
and  the  deflection  of  the  miter  post  would,  from  equation  (24),  be  2 
A0  P0,  2  A,  P„  etc. 

2  A0  P0=  .1432  inches. 

2  Aj  Pj=  .726  inches. 

2  A.,  P2= 1.426  inches. 

2  Ag  A3=  1.604  inches. 

2  A4  P4= 1.604  inches. 

2  A5  P5=  1.590  inches. 

These  values  are  plotted  in  the  line  a  b  c ,  fig.  1,  plate  80. 

1  =  190000. 
a  =  156.6  inches. 


Substituting  the  known  quantities  in  equations  (31)  we  have: 

.4784  Xj  +  ,3272  X2+.2714  X3+.1743  X4- 22070=0 
.3272  X,  +  .5803  X,+  .3790  X3+.2676  X4-52870=0 
.2714  Xj  +  ,3790  X,+  .5484  X3+.3198  X4-44110=0 
.1748  Xj-f.2676  X2+.3198  X3+.4531  X4-22450=0 


188 


u K K P  WATERWAYS. 


From  which, 

X4=  —  34,200  pounds. 

X2=  -(-80,100  pounds. 

X.,  =  +  50,750  pounds. 

X4=— 25,090  pounds. 

From  equations  (26)  and  (27) 

X0=— 41270  pounds. 

X5=— 38730  pounds. 

Substituting  now  in  equations  (25): 

A0=.156  inches. 

A  ,  =  .399  inches. 

Aa=.022  inches. 

A3=.754  inches. 
a4  =  .826  inches. 

As=.862  inches. 

The  deflection  of  the  mitre  post  will  be: 

2  A0=  .312  inches. 

2A,=  .798  inches. 

2  A  2= 1.244  inches. 

2a3=1.508  inches. 

2  A 4  =  1.052  inches. 

2  A  5=1. 724  inches. 

These  deflections  are  plotted  in  fig.  1,  plate  80,  and  the  curve  of  the 
miter  post  gh  is  drawn. 

Substituting  the  known  quantities  in  equation  (32)  and  making 
K=0,  we  have: 

.4070  Xj  +  ,3043  X2+.2370  X3+.1290-  45920=0 
.3043  X,  +  .5145  Xa+.3102  X3+  .1700— 100570=0 
.2370  Xj-f  .3102  X,+  .4454  X3+.  1824-115710=0 
.1290  X4  +  .1760  X2+.1824  X3+. 2690-117850=0 

Solving, 

Xj  =  — 112,700  pounds. 

X2=  50,700  pounds. 

X3=  134,700  pounds. 

X4=  303,000  pounds. 

And  from  equations  (20)  and  (27) 

X0=  —  70,300  pounds. 

X5=— 371,400  pounds. 

Substituting  these  quantities  in  equation  (25)  and  doubling  the 
value  of  A  we  have  as  the  deflection  at  the  miter. 

2A0=  .429  inches. 

2 A  j=  .904  inches. 

2  A  2= 1.312  inches. 

2  A  3= 1.340  inches. 

2A4=  .898  inches. 

2 A5=2  K=0. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


189 


These  values  are  plotted  in  fig.  1,  plate  80,  and  the  curve  of  the 
miter  post  f  o  drawn. 

We  are  now  able  to  determine  the  loading  on  any  horizontal  frame. 
Let  the  loading  on  a  frame  after  deflection  be  equivalent  to  a  cer¬ 
tain  water  pressure  P'. 

Then 


P' 


=P 


(33) 


In  which  P„  is  the  water  pressure  upon  the  horizontal  frame, 
and  X„  is  the  reaction  of  the  horizontal  frame  upon  the  vertical 
girder. 

The  deflection  of  the  miter  post  at  any  horizontal  frame  may  be 
found  from  the  curves  fig.  1,  plate  80. 

By  substituting  this  deflection  and  the  proper  constants  in  equa¬ 
tion  (23)  the  value  of  X„  may  be  found.  This  substituted  in  equa¬ 
tion  (33)  gives  P  the  load  upon  the  frame. 

Using  this  new  loading,  the  stresses  in  the  frame  may  be  computed 
as  in  the  beginning. 

If,  as  usually  will  be  the  case,  the  stress  of  the  horizontal  frame 
rather  than  their  loading  is  desired,  they  may  be  arrived  at  by  a  much 
shorter  process. 

The  line  a  b  c,  tig.  1,  plate  80,  represents  the  deflection  which  the 
miter  post  would  have  if  there  were  no  vertical  stiffness  and  each 
horizontal  frame  withstood  its  own  water  pressure. 

All  the  frames  except  the  six  upper  ones  were  designed  to  have  a 
maximum  stress  of  +  10,000  pounds  per  square  inch  under  the  action 
of  water  pressure  alone;  and  the  six  upper  frames  are  all  made  like  the 
seventh. 

Then  the  abscissas  of  the  broken  line  e  d  b  c  represent  the  deflec¬ 
tions  which  the  miter  post  would  have  if  all  the  frames  were  loaded 
in  such  a  way  that  the  maximum  stress  would  be  10,000  pounds  per 
square  inch. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  curves  of  theoretical  deflections  pass  beyond 
the  line  e  d  b  c  in  two  places. 

When  there  is  perfect  contact  at  the  sill  the  horizontal  frame  at  a 
point  46  feet  above  the  sill  may  be  stressed  to  more  than  10,000 
pounds  per  square  inch,  and  likewise  with  frames  near  the  bottom 
when  there  is  no  contact  at  the  sill. 

In  neither  case  is  the  deflection  more  than  8  per  cent  greater  than 
that  corresponding  to  a  maximum  stress  of  10,000  pounds  per  square 
inch. 

Considering  stress  proportional  to  deflection,  the  maximum  stress 
in  these  two  cases  will  be  only  10,800  pounds  per  square  inch,  which 
is  certainly  not  serious. 

Knowing  the  loading  on  the  vertical  system,  the  maximum  bending 


190 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


moment  may  be  readily  found.  The  maximum  stress /of  the  vertical 
beam  is  found  by  the  formula: 

_  2  yx  M 

7i  -  i 


in  which  yx  and  y2  are  the  distances  from  the  neutral  axis  to  the 
extreme  edges  of  the  vertical  beam.  M  is  the  maximum  bending 
moment  which  evidently  occurs  when  there  is  contact  at  the  sill. 

The  stress  is  double  that  given  by  the  usual  formula,  since  the 
deflection  at  the  miter  post  is  twice  the  mean  deflection. 

Determining  M,  yx,  and  y.2  and  substituting,  we  have: 

fx  —  —17,700  pounds  per  square  inch. 
f2  =  +16,000  pounds  per  square  inch. 

This  may  seem  rather  high,  but  there  is  no  danger  of  rupture,  for, 
unlike  the  ordinary  beam,  if  the  deflection  increases  beyond  that 
which  causes  this  stress  the  beam  is  immediately  relieved  of  its  loads. 

Fig.  2,  plate  80,  illustrates  the  case  of  the  upper  gate  of  an  80-foot 
lock  for  21-foot,  channel,  which  is  the  lowest  gate  that  has  been 
designed,  a  b  represents  the  deflected  position  of  the  miter  post  if 
the  gate  has  no  vertical  stiffness. 

As  it  is  a  straight  line,  it  is  also  the  position  of  the  miter  post  if 
there  is  no  contact  at  the  sill,  no  matter  what  the  vertical  system 
may  be. 

o  c  represents  the  position  of  the  miter  post  if  the  gate  has  vertical 
stiffness  and  there  is  contact  and  no  deflection  at  sill. 

b  d  represents  the  position  of  miter  post  when  all  horizontals  have  a 
maximum  stress  of  10,000  pounds  per  square  inch. 

As  this  line  falls  outside  of  all  others,  we  may  be  reasonably  certain 
that  in  no  horizontal  is  the  stress  greater  than  10,000  pounds  per 
square  inch. 

Fig.  6,  plate  80,  shows  the  behavior  of  an  upper  gate  of  80-foot,  lock 
for  60-foot  channel,  with  10-foot  flood  water.  This  gate  receives  the 
highest  pressures  of  any  for  which  timber  bearings  in  the  quoin  and 
miter  posts  are  proposed. 

The  line  a  b  represents  the  deflected  position  of  the  miter  post  if 
there  were  no  vertical  stiffness. 

e  d  represents  the  deflected  position  of  the  gate  with  vertical  stiff¬ 
ness  and  no  contact  at  the  sill. 

o  e  represents  the  deflected  position  of  the  miter  post  with  vertical 
stiffness  and  contact  at  the  sill. 

bfd  represents  the  deflected  position  of  the  miter  post  when  the 
maximum  stress  is  10,000  pounds  per  square  inch.  This  line  lies  well 
outside  all  others,  as  in  the  previous  case. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


191 


At  first  thought  it  might  be  expected  that  the  line  bf  d  would  be 
vertical  for  the  whole  height  of  the  gate,  inasmuch  as  it  represents  a 
condition  of  uniform  stress  in  the  steel. 

The  section  of  the  timber  in  the  posts,  however,  is  not,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  steel,  proportional  to  the  pressure  upon  it;  hence  the  inclina¬ 
tion  of  the  line  bf 

Fig.  4,  plate  SO,  is  fora  gate  between  the  80-foot  locks  of  the  Lewiston 
flight.  These  locks  have  31  feet  deptli  of  water  on  sill  and  a  lift  of 
40  feet,  with  a  flood  at  times  of  6  feet. 

The  gates  may  therefore  be  required  to  withstand  a  head  of  77  feet 
of  water. 

a  b  c  is  the  line  of  deflection  of  miter  post  if  there  is  no  vertical 
stiffness. 

d  c  is  the  line  of  deflection  of  miter  post  under  a  maximum  stress  of 
10,000  pounds  per  square  inch. 

o  e  is  the  line  of  the  deflected  miter  post  with  contact  at  sill. 

This  line  passes  outside  of  d  c,  indicating  that  the  maximum  stress 
in  the  horizontals  at  that  point  is  more  than  10,000  pounds  per  square 
inch.  The  maximum  excess  is  only  8  per  cent,  making  the  maximum 
stress  only  10,800  pounds  per  square  inch. 

The  comparison  of  figs.  1  and  4  shows  the  influence  of  the  wood 
upon  the  deflection,  as  both  are  drawn  to  the  same  scale,  and  h  c  fig.  1 
and  b  c  fig.  4  would  have  the  same  abscissas  if  it  were  not  for  the 
presence  of  the  wood. 

These  four  cases  represent  the  extremes  of  all  the  gates  designed. 

The  above  method  is  purely  theoretical,  and  as  all  theoretical  an¬ 
alyses  are  liable  to  be  in  error,  it  was  thought  very  desirable  to  obtain 
a  check  upon  the  results  by  actual  measurement  of  the  behavior  of 
large  steel  gates. 

With  this  end  in  view,  a  series  of  measurements  were  made  upon 
the  gates  of  the  Poe  lock  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Mich. 

These  measurements  were  made  by  Mr.  Henry  Goldmark,  assisted 
by  Messrs.  Joseph  Ripley  and  B.  Rohnert,  United  States  assistant 
engineers,  and  Messrs.  C.  M.  Ayres,  and  II.  C.  MacNaughton,  in  June, 
1808,  and  April,  1899. 

The  following,  quoted  from  Mr.  Goldmark’s  report  upon  the  meas¬ 
urements,  described  the  gates  and  method  of  measurements: 

The  lock  has  a  clear  width  of  100  feet,  with  a  depth  of  water  on  sill  of  21  feet. 
The  total  height  of  the  lower  gates  is  44  feet,  and  the  average  lift  of  lock  is  19 
feet.  The  mitering  angle  is  21°  (rise  of  about  one  fifth).  The  leaves  are  of  soft 
steel  and  curved  in  plan,  forming  a  continu  us  arch  when  closed,  and  are  sheathed 
on  both  sides.  The  distance  between  sheathing  plates  is  80  inches  at  the  quoin 
and  miter  posts  and  36  inches  at  the  middle  of  the  leaf.  Their  thickness  varies 
from  three-eighths  inch  to  one-half  inch.  The  frame  consists  of  six  horizontal 
arches  spaced  uniformly  30  inches  between  centers  and  of  seven  vertical  frames, 
besides  the  quom  and  miter  posts  Four  of  the  vertical  frames  extend  only  half¬ 
way  up  from  the  bottom  ot  the  gate. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


192 

Nom1  of  the  vertical  frames  are  cent  nuous,  except  through  the  riveted  con¬ 
nections. 

The  pressure  at  the  quoin  is  transmitted  through  a  continuous  fiat  steel  plate 
10  inches  wide,  hearing  directly  against  the  cut  stone.  At  the  miter  posts  the 
contact  is  through  oak  timber  with  12-inch  faces. 

To  determine  the  deformation  of  these  gates,  the  fol  owing  quantities  were 
measured: 

(a)  The  change  in  the  versed  sines  of  the  two  gates  considered  as  a  continuous 
arch  between  the  hollow  quoins.  This  is  equivalent  to  the  movement  of  the  miter 
posts  parallel  to  the  axis  of  the  lock. 

(b)  The  corresponding  movements  of  points  at  the  middle  of  each  leaf. 

(c)  The  change  in  the  versed  sine  of  each  leaf. 

(d)  The  change  in  the  length  of  the  chord  connecting  the  quo  n  and  miter  post. 

Ail  measurements  were  made  for  each  horizontal  frame  down  to  the  lower  level. 

The  changes  in  the  chord  and  versed  sines  of  the  separate  leaves  are  small  and 

difficult  of  determination,  hence  the  measurements  (a)  and  ( b )  give  more  satis¬ 
factory  results  than  those  marked  (c)  and  ( d ). 

The  method  used  in  determining  the  movement  of  the  miter  posts  and  the  points 
at  the  middles  of  the  leaves  may  be  readily  understood  by  reference  to  fig.  18, 
which  shows  ground  plans  of  the  gates  and  lock  walls,  in  which  A  and  B  are 
points  in  the  gates  whose  movements  are  to  be  measured.  They  were  marked  by 
pr  ck  punches. 

I,.  I„,  I3,  I4,  are  points  on  the  lock  walls  at  which  transits  were  set  up. 

I  M,  I  N,  are  base  lines  parallel  to  the  axis  of  the  lock  on  the  top  of  the  lock 
walls. 

Mj,  M:,  are  points  at  each  base  line  in  which  it  is  intersected  by  a  vertical  plane 
passing  through  the  center  of  the  transit  and  the  point  A. 

N,,  N„,  are  the  corresponding  in  ersections  for  points  B. 

The  successive  steps  in  the  measurements  were  the  following: 

The  gates  were  first  carefully  closed  so  as  to  get  a  symmetrical  mitering,  and  the 
locks  filled  to  the  level  of  the  upper  pool.  The  transits  were  then  set  up  at  I,,  T, 
etc.,  the  points  of  intersection  M.  M,,  determined  (both  by  direct  foresight  and 
after  double  reversing  the  instrument),  and  the  lengths  I  M  measured  with  steel 
ta  es  laid  flat  on  the  lock  walls.  These  measurements  were  taken  consecutively 
for  all  points  A  on  the  different,  horizontal  frames. 

The  water  in  the  lock  was  then  al.owed  to  run  out  until  it  stood  about  1  foot 
higher  than  in  the  lower  pool.  A  further  lowering  it  was  found  was  liable  to 
cause  the  gates  to  open.  The  new  positions  of  a  1  points  A  were  then  determined 
by  finding  the  points  of  intersection  M  with  the  same  base  line  and  measuring  the 
new  distance  I  M,  etc. 

The  comple  e  series  of  measurements  was,  of  course,  made  in  every  case  with¬ 
out  opening  the  gates  or  changing  the  miter,  so  that  the  defections  obtained  are 
bebeved  to  be  true  elastic  deflections  due  to  stress  in  the  materbil  due  to  water 
pressure  acting  against  the  gates. 

Two  transits  were  u-ed.  <  ne  at  each  wall,  merely  in  order  to  save  time,  as  the 
work  of  each  instrument  was  entirely  independent. 

The  measurement  for  the  points  marked  B  were  made  in  exactly  the  same  way 
as  explained  for  the  points  A. 

The  actual  horizontal  movements  of  A  and  B,  parallel  tothesxis  of  the  lock, 
were  obtained  by  simple  proportion  from  the  geometric  figure  ana  the  measured 
distance  I  M  and  I  N. 

The  above  describes  the  measurements  made  in  June,  1898.  At 
tli is  time  observations  on  the  gate  could  be  made  only  above  the 
lower  pool. 


S T. MARYS  FALLS  CANAL . 

Poe  L o cK  —  L  o wer  G  ale. 

General  Plan  showing  Method  of  measuring  Deflections. 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


JULIUS  BIEN  &  CO  PHOTO.  UT H 


' 

- 


' 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


193 


In  the  measurements  made  in  April,  1899,  the  lower  guard  gate  was 
closed  and  the  space  between  it  and  the  lower  lock  gate  was  pumped 
out.  The  lock  was  then  filled  to  various  stages,  and  at  each  stage  of 
water  a  complete  set  of  observations  was  made,  using  the  same 
methods  as  described  above. 

The  measurements  made  at  this  time  included  those  designated 
above  as  (ft),  and  a  measurement  of  the  compression  of  the  wood, 
which  was  accomplished  by  lowering  a  man  from  the  top  of  the  gate 
in  such  a  way  that  he  was  able  to  measure  the  distance  between  the 
prick-puncli  marks  AA  at  each  horizontal  frame  for  each  stage  of 
water. 

In  both  1898  and  1899  very  satisfactory  results  were  obtained,  except 
those  designated  above  as  (c)  and  (d).  The  changes  to  be  measured 
in  these  cases  were  so  slight  that  they  could  not  be  accurately  deter¬ 
mined  by  the  means  used. 

The  results  of  the  measurements  are  very  uniform.  Two  cases 
which  are  typical  of  them  all  will  be  given. 

Fifteen  and  one-half  feet  depth  of  water  on  the  upper  side  of  the 
gate  and  no  water  on  the  lower  is  called  water  stage  A;  87  feet  depth 
of  water  on  t lie  upper  side  of  the  gate  and  no  water  on  the  lower  is 
called  water  stage  B;  8  feet  depth  on  the  upper  side  of  the  gate  and 
no  water  on  the  lower  is  called  water  stage  C. 

The  abscissm  of  the  broken  line  in  fig.  5,  plate  80,  represent  the 
measured  change  of  deflection  in  passing  from  stage  A  to  stage  B. 

The  abscissa  of  the  broken  line  in  fig.  6,  plate  80,  represent  the 
measured  change  of  deflection  in  passing  from  stage  0  to  stage  B. 

The  theoretical  deflections  were  computed  in  the  same  manner  as 
in  the  example  worked  out  on  tin*  previous  pages  by  substituting  the 
proper  values  in  equations  (32).  In  this  case,  however,  there  is  a  de¬ 
flection  at  the  sill,  as  is  evident  from  tigs.  5  and  6.  Unfortunately,  the 
lowest  arch  observed  was  the  one  next  to  the  bottom.  Extending  the 
probable  curve  of  deflection  down  to  the  bottom,  we  get  for  the  deflec¬ 
tion  at  the  sill  0.24  inch. 

Solving  the  equations  and  substituting  in  equations  (25),  the  theoret¬ 
ical  deflections  are  found  which  plot  into  the  curve  shown  in  fig.  5, 
plate  80.  The  curve  shown  in  fig.  6  is  obtained  in  the  same  way. 

The  modulus  of  elasticity  of  the  wood  was  determined  from  the 
computed  intensities  of  pressure  at  the  miter  and  the  measured  com¬ 
pression.  It  was  found  that  the  timber  below  the  level  of  the  lower 
pool,  which  was  immersed  at  all  times,  had  a  very  uniform  value  of 
20,000  as  a  modulus  of  elasticity,  while  that  above  the  lower  pool  had 
a  modulus  of  about  30,000. 

The  agreement  of  the  theoretical  deflections  with  those  actually 
measured  is  as  close  as  can  be  expected  and  is  very  strong  evidence 
that  the  theoretical  results  deduced  for  the  gates  designed  are  fair 
approximations  to  the  truth. 

H.  Doc.  149 - 13 


194 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


There  are  three  factors  in  the  computations  that  are  necessarily 
somewhat  indefinite.  They  are  the  moment  of  inertia  of  the  vertical 
girder,  the  deflection  at  the  sill,  and,  if  timber  bearing  blocks  are 
used,  the  modulus  of  elasticity  of  this  timber. 

To  be  on  the  safe  side,  the  first  should  be  taken  large  and  the  sec¬ 
ond  and  third  small. 

It  is  impossible  to  say  how  much  the  effective  moment  of  inertia 
will  be  reduced  by  buckling  of  the  skin  plates  and  defect  of  the  riv¬ 
eted  joints.  If  it  be  taken  at  the  value  it  would  have  if  all  verticals 
of  the  gate  formed  one  solid  piece,  then  the  results  will  be  on  the 
safe  side,  as  the  greater  the  vertical  stiffness  the  greater  will  be  its 
effect. 

The  value  of  K,  or  the  deflection  at  the  sill,  depends  upon  the  man¬ 
ner  of  placing  the  sill  timbers.  It  is  probably  on  the  safe  side  to 
take  K=0,  as  the  sill  timber  will  compress  considerably  under  the 
pressure  which  it  will  be  required  to  withstand. 

If  timber  is  used,  it  will  be  well  saturated  at  all  times,  and  its 
modulus  of  elasticity  or  compression  will  be  small.  In  the  computa¬ 
tion,  the  lowest  value  obtained  from  the  measurements  on  the  locks 
at  Sault  Ste.  Marie  was  used. 

The  simultaneous  equations  are  easily  solved  by  the  aid  of  the  slide 
rule. 

Mr.  Henry  Goldmark  has  worked  out  this  problem,  using  the 
method  of  “least  work.”  In  his  analysis  he  lias  made  the  same  gen¬ 
eral  assumptions  as  have  been  made  in  the  foregoing  analysis,  and, 
as  should  be  expected,  his  method  gives  the  same  results. 

SHEATHING. 


The  resistance  of  plates,  supported  at  their  edges,  to  forces  normal 
to  them  is  not  well  understood.  No  satisfactory  theoretical  analysis 
of  their  stresses  has  been  made.  The  designer  must  rely  upon 
empirical  formulae,  derived  from  the  results  of  experiment,  to  guide 
him  in  the  proportioning  of  sheathing  plates. 

The  most  recent  well-conducted  series  of  experiments  upon  large 
test  plates  are  those  of  Prof.  C.  Bach,  of  Stuttgart. 

From  the  results  of  these  tests  formulae  were  derived  which  are 
probably  the  most  reliable  of  anjT  in  use. 

For  flat  rectangular  steel  plates,  acted  upon  by  fluid  pressure, 
Bach’s  formula  is: 


i  =  cb 


(34) 


in  which 

t  =  tlie  thickness  of  the  plate. 

c  =  an  empirical  factor,  depending  upon  the  manner  in  which  the 
edges  of  the  plate  are  held. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


195 


For  a  plate  fixed  at  the  edges  c  =  0.61, 

a  =  length  of  plate  between  supports. 

1)  —  breadth  of  plate  between  supports. 

p  =  intensity  of  fluid  pressure. 

f  =  maximum  allowable  tensile  stress  in  the  metal. 

This  formula  was  used  to  determine  the  thickness  of  the  sheathing 
plates  for  all  gates.  The  results  were  checked  by  various  other  for¬ 
mulae  in  general  use. 

No  plates  less  than  three-eighths  inch  thick  were  used  and  none 
more  than  one-half  inch  thick  were  required. 

The  sheathing  plates  are  proportioned  by  the  flat  plate  formula, 
although  they  are  in  reality  curved  and  thereby  derive  considerable 
additional  strength  from  arch  section. 

PIVOT. 

Details  of  the  pivots  which  are  proposed  for  use  are  shown  in  figs. 
15,  16,  17,  18,  and  19,  plate  70;  figs.  10,  11,  12,  and  13,  plate  71,  and 
figs.  9  and  10,  plate  74. 

The  pivots  are  all  of  the  same  general  design,  although  a  difference 
is  made  in  the  shape  of  the  castings  in  upper  and  lower  gates  on 
account  of  the  difference  in  the  sill  contact. 

The  bearing  is  bronze  upon  polished  steel.  This  combination  has 
a  low  coefficient  of  friction,  especially  when  working  in  water.  The 
bearing  parts  move  very  slowly  one  upon  another,  tin1  maximum  rate 
of  speed  being  only  0.02  foot  per  second. 

A  cast-steel  base  embedded  in  the  concrete  floor  of  the  lock  holds 
the  pivot  proper,  which  is  a  steel  forging  hemispherical  on  top. 

Bolted  to  the  gate  is  another  casting  which  holds  a  bronze  bushing 
or  hollow  hemispherical  cup  which  fits  the  pivot.  The  pivot  is  propor¬ 
tioned  to  take  both  the  weight  of  the  gate  and  the  horizontal  thrust. 

UPPER  HINGE. 

The  details  of  f  he  upper  hinge  are  shown  in  figs.  11  and  12,  plate  70. 

The  force  acting  at  the  upper  hinge  is: 

h=4w 

h 

In  which,  W=weight  of  one  leaf  of  gate. 

«=distance  from  center  of  gravity  of  gate  to  vertical 
through  pivot  center. 

h— distance  between  upper  hinge  and  pivot. 

In  this  formula,  as  the  height  of  the  gate  increases  the  weight 
increases  in  nearly  the  same  ratio.  The  pull  upon  the  upper  hinge 
does  not  differ  greatly  between  the  lightest  and  heaviest  gates  designed. 
As  an  example,  II  for  the  lower  gate  for  a  lock  of  40-foot  lift  is  only 
15  per  cent  more  than  for  the  lower  gate  for  a  lock  of  5-foot  lift  .  For 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


196 

this  reason  little  change  is  made  in  the  anchor  bars,  and  none  at  all 
in  the  castings  for  the  different  gates. 

The  anchorage  consists  of  eyebars  extending  back  in  the  masonry 
to  beams  embedded  in  the  concrete.  Sufficient  masonry  is  embraced 
to  preclude  any  danger  of  movement. 

The  angle  between  the  anchor  bars  is  slightly  greater  than  that 
through  which  the  gate  swings,  and  they  are  so  placed  that  both  are 
always  in  tension,  thus  avoiding  reversal  of  stress  and  the  consequent 
danger  of  loosening  and  play  of  the  parts. 

Provision  is  made  for  adjustment  by  means  of  wedge-shaped  keys. 

The  castings  are  of  steel  and  proportioned  for  a  very  low  unit  stress. 
The  anchor  bars  are  also  proportioned  very  liberally,  to  provide  for 
any  reduction  of  section  which  is  likely  to  occur  from  rusting. 

SILL  CONTACT. 

For  the  lower  and  intermediate  gates  the  sill  contact  is  made,  as 
shown  on  plate  71,  by  bolting  to  the  flange  of  the  lower  horizontal 
frame  a  straight  timber  bearing  piece  which  closes  against  a  straight 
timber  sill. 

When  the  gates  are  closed  a  head  of  water  equal  to  the  difference 
of  level  of  the  two  sides  of  the  gate  acts  upon  the  bottom  of  the  gate, 
tending  to  lift  it.  This  lifting  effort  upon  the  lower  gates  is  but 
slightly  greater  than  the  weight  of  the  gates  themselves,  so  that  the 
friction  of  the  quoin  posts  in  the  hollow  quoins  will  overcome  all 
tendency  to  upward  movement.  The  coefficient  of  friction  required 
to  do  this  is  only  about  2  per  cent. 

On  account  of  this  upward  pressure  upon  the  bottom  of  the  gate, 
numerous  web  stiffeners  are  placed  upon  the  bottom  frame,  and  its 
lower  flange  is  strengthened  by  a  plate  extending  to  the  flange  of  the 
frame  above. 

If  the  upper  and  guard  gates  and  gates  between  locks  of  a  flight 
should  expose  so  great  a  bottom  area  as  this  to  maximum  water  pres¬ 
sure,  the  upward  lift  would  be  far  in  excess  of  the  weight  of  the  gate. 
To  meet  this  difficulty  the  bottom  frame  of  these  gates  is  made  very 
much  narrower  than  the  others  and  no  timber  bearing  piece  is  used. 
Instead,  the  heavy  steel  flange  angle  is  finished  and  bears  against  the 
sill.  This  arrangement  is  shown  on  plate  70. 

The  lower  frame  is  attached  to  the  one  above  at  intervals  by  cast- 
steel  brackets. 

A  curved  sill  is  required  for  these  gates. 

FOOTBRIDGE. 

For  the  convenience  of  the  workmen  and  others,  a  footbridge  is 
provided  upon  the  top  of  the  gate.  It  has  a  railing  which  is  remov¬ 
able  and  built  in  short  sections,  so  that  one  man  can  handle  a  section. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


197 


ESTIMATES. 


In  connection  with  the  estimates,  it  is  appropriate  to  review  briefly 
the  conditions  which  prevail  in  t lie  structures. 

The  gates  are  of  steel,  with  horizontal  framing.  The  spaces  between 
the  frames  are  variable,  being  3  feet  3  inches  near  the  top  and  less 
than  2  feet  near  the  bottom  of  the  highest  gates. 

The  frames  are  straight  on  the  downstream  side  and  curved  on  the 
other;  their  breadth  is  4  feet  in  gates  for  60-foot,  locks  and  4^  feet  in 
gates  for  80-foot  locks.  They  are  proportioned  under  the  assumption 
that  the  center  of  pressure  at  the  miter  may  have  a  range  of  position 
8  inches  each  side  of  the  center  of  the  bearing  face.  The  maxi¬ 
mum  stress  in  the  frames  is  10,000  pounds  per  square  inch.  The 
maximum  stress  in  the  sheathing  is  15,000  pounds  per  square  inch. 
The  minimum  thickness  of  metal  is  three-eighths  inch.  The  minimum 
angle  used  is  34x34x§  inches.  Diameter  of  rivets  f  and  f  inch. 

Detailed  designs  and  careful  estimates  of  the  weight  of  gates  for 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  different  cases  were  made.  These 
comprised  single  and  double  skin,  upper  and  lower  gates  for  60,  65, 
and  80-foot  locks  for  a  21-foot  and  30-foot  channel,  and  lifts  varying 
from  0  to  50  feet. 

The  estimated  weights  of  the  rolled  steel  in  the  lower  gates  are  plot¬ 
ted  on  plate  79.  Abscissas  are  the  lifts  of  the  locks  and  ordinates  are 
the  weights  of  structural  steel  in  one  leaf  of  the  gates. 

To  each  diagram  shown,  a  parabolic  curve  is  fitted  as  shown  on 
plate  79.  The  ordinates  of  the  computed  points,  with  two  exceptions, 
do  not  differ  more  than  2  tier  cent,  and  in  these  cases  not  more  than 
34  per  cent,  from  the  ordinates  to  the  parabolic  curves;  therefore,  if 
the  weights  of  the  gates  for  a  lock  of  any  lift  between  0  and  50  feet 
be  read  from  the  curve,  they  will  be  within  the  practical  limits  of 
accuracy  for  structural  steel  work. 

The  general  equation  of  these  parabolic  curves  is: 

W=AH2+BH+C  .  .  .  (35) 

in  which  W  is  the  net  weight  in  pounds  of  the  structural  steel  in  one 
leaf  of  the  lower  gate  of  a  lock,  the  lift  in  feet  of  which  is  II.  A,  B, 
and  C  are  constants  dependent  upon  the  width  of  the  lock  and  depth 
of  water  on  sill. 

The  equations  of  weight  of  lower  gates  for  80  and  60  foot  locks  are — 


For  80-foot  lock,  30  feet  depth  of  water  on  sill,  'W=S5II2-f-3000H+ 

130000. 

For  80-foot  lock,  21  feet  depth  of  water  on  sill,  W  =  83IF  +  3010 11  + 

1 03000. 

For  60-foot  lock,  30  feet  depth  of  water  on  sill,  W=38.85ir~-f-3009II+ 

106500.- 

For  60-foot  lock,  21  feet  depth  of  water  on  sill,  W=38.76H2-|-27131I+ 

80500. 


198 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  weight  of  a  lower  gate  for  any  particular  width  and  lift  of  lock, 
but  of  varying  “depth  on  sill,”  may  be  written:  W=Kfl-CD,  in  which 
K  represents  the  weight  of  that  part  of  the  gate  above  the  surface  of 
the  lower  pool  plus  that  part  below  the  top  of  the  sill,  and  C  is  the 
weight  per  vertical  foot  of  that  part  of  the  gate  between  the  surface 
of  the  lower  pool  and  the  sill,  and  1)  is  the  depth  in  feet  of  the  water 
on  sill. 

It  is  evident  from  the  nature  of  the  design  that  this  form  of  equation 
is  correct,  because  the  water  pressure  per  vertical  foot  upon  the  gate 
below  the  lower  pool  is  constant,  and  therefore  the  horizontal  frames, 
their  spacing,  the  quoin  and  miter  posts,  the  verticals  and  sheathing 
are  all  uniform  from  the  surface  of  the  lower  pool  to  the  sill. 

Making  A,  B,  and  C  linear  functions  of  I)  and  determining  con¬ 
stants,  we  have — 

For  80-foot  lock  W  =  (78.33+.222D)H2+  (1033.5+ 65. 55D)H+ (40000+ 

3000D)  .  .  .  (36) 

For  60-foot  lock  W  =  (85.55  +  .01D)H2+(2022.6+32.88D)H  +  (19860+ 

2888D)  .  .  .  (37) 

These  are  the  equations  of  the  two  series  of  curves  shown  on  plate 
79. 

These  formulae  and  curves  apply  to  upper  and  guard  gates  as  well 
as  to  lower  gates. 

II  is  to  be  taken  as  the  maximum  head  of  water  acting  upon  the 
gate.  For  lower  gates  this  is  the  maximum  lift  of  the  lock. 

In  the  designs  all  upper  gates  were  proportioned  the  same  as  guard 
gates. 

By  the  use  of  either  the  equations  or  the  curves  the  weight  of  struc¬ 
tural  steel  in  one  leaf  of  a  gate  within  limits  previously  mentioned 
may  be  found.  To  this  must  be  added  the  material  in  pivot  and 
upper  hinge  details,  given  on  plate  79. 

These  are  the  equations  which  are  especially  intended  for  use  in 
making  the  estimates  of  the  gates  for  the  locks  of  the  various  deep 
waterway  routes  investigated  by  the  Board.  Twenty-one  and  30-foot 
channels  only  are  proposed  for  the  deep  waterway,  yet  the  depth  of 
water  on  sill  varies  widely  for  different  cases  on  account  of  varying 
flood  water  and  other  local  conditions;  otherwise  the  diagrams,  fig. 

I  on  plate  79,- might  be  used  to  get  the  weight  of  the  gates. 

The  curves  on  plate  79  were  used  to  make  the  estimates  for  all  the 
gates  for  the  proposed  deep  waterway,  except  those  between  locks  of 
a  flight.  These  estimates  are  included  in  the  general  estimates,  which 
may  be  found  in  the  reports  of  the  various  assistant  engineers. 

The  gates  between  the  locks  of  a  flight  are  made  the  subject  of  spe¬ 
cial  detailed  estimate,  since  they  do  not  come  within  the  limits  of 

II  =d  and  II  =  50.  In  the  flight  of  40-foot  lift  locks  H  is  as  great  as 
77  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


199 


The  principal  object  of  all  the  work  clone  upon  the  subject  of  lock 
gates  was  attained  when  equations  (30)  and  (37)  were  developed  and 
estimates  for  the  proposed  work  had  been  obtained  from  them.  As  a 
matter  of  general  interest,  however,  the  work  was  carried  somewhat 
further. 

Numerous  diagrams  were  plotted,  weights  of  gates  being  ordinates 
and  widths  of  locks  being  abscissas.  The  lift  of  lock  and  depth  of 
water  on  sill  remained  the  same  for  each  diagram.  It  was  found  that 
the  points  plotted  in  these  diagrams  fitted  parabolic  curves,  or,  in 
other  words,  for  any  given  lift  of  lock  and  depth  of  water  on  sill: 

W=E62+F6+G  ....  (3S) 

in  which  6  is  the  width  of  the  lock  and  E,  F,  and  G  are  certain  con¬ 
stants  depending  upon  the  lift  of  lock  and  depth  of  water  on  sill. 

This  might  have  been  expected,  since  certain  parts  of  the  gate,  such 
as  the  flanges  of  the  horizontal  frames,  increase  as  the  square  of  the 
span  and  certain  other  parts  of  the  gate,  such  as  the  sheathing,  increase 
directly  as  the  width,  and  certain  other  parts,  such  as  the  posts,  do  not 
vary  at  all. 

The  three  equations  representing  the  weight  of  single  skin  gates  for 
GO,  G5,  and  80  foot  locks,  with  30-foot  depth  of  water  on  sill,  are: 

80-foot  lock,  30-foot  depth  on  sill  W=85  L2+3600  L  +  130000 
(55-foot  lock,  30-foot  depth  on  sill  W=47.12  L2+3250  L+ 109700 
GO-foot  lock,  30-foot  depth  on  sill  W  =  38.85  L2-|-3009  L-j- 106500 

The  only  form  of  equation  that  will  satisfy  the  conditions  of  both 
equations  (35)  and  (38)  is: 

W=(d624-e  6+/)  JV+{gb2+h  b  +  k)  1 1  + (j  62  +  m  b+n)  .  .  (39) 

in  which  any  constant  may  vanish.  We  now  have: 

G400  d+80  e+f=85 
4225  (/+G5  e+/=47.12 
3600  (/+G0  e+f—  38.85 

from  which  we  have  d=. 043G  e=  —  3.796/=  109. 65.  In  like  manner, 
g,  It,  1c,  j,  m,  and  u  may  be  found  and  substituted  in  the  general  equa¬ 
tion  (26).  We  then  have  the  general  equation  for  the  weight  of  one 
leaf  of  a  single  skin  gate  for  varying  widths  and  lifts,  but  for  a  con¬ 
stant.  depth  of  water  on  sill  of  30  feet: 

W=  (.043 6 62  —  3.7965  +  109.65)  H2  +  (—  1.24362  +  203.56  -  4725)  II  + 

35.6G662  —  38186  +  207200. 

Proceeding  in  the  same  way  with  the  gates  for  21  feet  depth  on  sill, 
we  have  for  the  weight  of  one  leaf: 


W=  (.038862  -  3.226  +  92.28)  H2  +  (  —  .70362  +  113.36 

—  9756  +  85000. 


1553)  II  +  1562 


200 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


.Vs  before,  we  know  from  t  lie  nature  of  the  design  that  the  weight 
of  a  gate  is  a  rectilinear  function  of  I),  the  depth  of  water  on  sill. 
We  may,  then,  combine  the  above  equations  into  a  general  equation 
giving  the  weight  of  a  single  skin  gate  for  any  depth  of  water  on  sill, 
width  and  lift  of  lock  within  limits. 

We  then  have: 

W  =  [(.0005331)  +  .0270)0*  +  (—  .0641)  —  1.876)0  +  1.931)  4-  51.75]  H* 
+  [(—  .061)  +  .557)0*  4-  (10.0221)  —  97.16)6  —  352.441)  +  5848.3]  II 
+  [(2.2961) —  33.215)0*  4*  (  —  315.891)+  5658.6)0  +135771) -2001 00]. 

In  which 

W  =  the  weight  in  pounds  of  the  structural  steel  in  one  leaf  of  a 
single  skin  mitering  gate  with  horizontal  framing,  straight  on 
the  downstream  side. 

0  =  the  breadth  of  the  lock  in  feet. 

II  =  the  maximum  head  in  feet  of  water  acting  upon  the  gate. 

I)  =  the  depth  on  sill,  or  depth  in  feet  above  the  top  of  the  sill  of 
the  water  on  the  downstream  side  of  the  gate  when  head 
II  acts. 


In  the  same  manner  the  equation  giving  the  weight  of  double  skin 
gates  was  developed: 

W  =  [(.000531)  +  .0276)6*  +  (-  .0641)  -  1.876)6  +  (1.931)  +  51.75)]  H2 
+  [(—  .061)  +  .3833)6*  +  (10.033D  —  68.71)6  +  (  —  353D  +  5107)]  II 
+  [(2.0441)  -  29.6)6*+ (  —  274.671)  +  5121.47)6  +(123331)  — 179600)]. 

The  caution  may  be  again  repeated  that  these  equations  are  empir¬ 
ical  and  should  not  be  used  outside  of  the  limits  of  the  data  from  which 
they  were  derived;  that  is,  they  should  not  be  used  for  values  of  L 
greater  than  50  feet,  nor  for  6  greater  than  say  85  feet,  nor  less  than 
say  55  feet.  From  the  nature  of  the  design,  I)  may  be  almost  any¬ 
thing. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  ARTICLES  ON  MITERING  LOCK  GATES. 

(A)  General  Hydraulic  Text-Books  and  other  Works  Containing 

Chapters  on  Lock  Gates. 

M.  Becker.  I)er  Wasserbau.  Stuttgart,  1861. 

An  excellent  text-book  with  a  good  general  discussion  on  lock  gates.  Plans  are 
given  of  the  timber  gates  for  the  100-foot  lock  in  the  Canada  docks,  Liverpool. 
Built  1853-1858. 

G.  Hagen.  Handbuch  der  Wasserbau- Kunst  (2terTheil,  3terBand). 
Sehitfahrts  canaele,  Berlin,  1874. 

A  standard  German  work  on  hydraulic  engineering.  Contains  an  historical 
account  of  the  development  of  locks  and  a  description  of  the  details  of  small  gates 
as  built  in  different  countries. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


201 


Of  larger  gates,  the  following  are  described  and  in  part  illustrated  by  plans,  viz: 

Cherbourg  Harbor.  Width  of  lock  equals  55  feet.  Timber  gates  built  near  the 
beginning  of  this  century. 

Coburg  dock,  Liverpool.  Width  of  lock  equals  68  feet.  Timber  gates. 

Canal  lock,  near  Mulhouse  (Alsace) ,  17  feet  wide.  These  were  the  first  wrouglit- 
iron  gates  built  on  the  Continent  (1845). 

Bremerhafen  docks,  1848.  Width  of  lock  equals  76  feet.  The  first  large 
wrought-iron  gates  built  in  Germany. 

Geestemunde  docks.  Width  of  lock,  74.68  feet.  Wrought-iron  gates,  built  in 
1861. 

Willem  III  lock  (Holland).  Wrought-iron  gates,  built  in  1861-1865.  Width  of 
lock  equals  58  feet. 

Charenton  lock,  France.  Small  wrought-iron  gates.  Built  in  1865.  Width  of 
lock  equals  25.5  feet. 

L.  Franzius.  Der  Wasserbau.  Berlin,  1890.  Contains  a  short  but 
excellent  chapter  on  lock  gates. 

L.  Brennecke  (chapter  on  locks)  in  Der  Wasserbau.  (Ill  Band  d. 
Handbucli  der  Ingenieur  wissenschaften)  2te  Abtheilung  2te  Halfte. 
Schleusen.  Schiffahrts  Ivanaele.  Leipzig,  W.  Engelmann,  1895. 

Latest  German  treatise  on  hydraulic  engineering.  The  chapter  on  locks  is 
written  by  the  designer  of  the  lock  gates  on  the  North  Sea — Baltic  Canal. 

It  contains  a  very  full  discussion  of  the  entire  subject,  including  the  theory  of 
stresses  and  many  detailed  plans. 

The  following  large  gates  are  described  and  illustrated: 

Canada  docks  (Liverpool) :  Timber  gates,  built  1853-1858.  Width  of  lock  equals 
100  feet. 

Transatlantique  docks  (Havre):  Timber  gates,  built  in  1862.  Width  of  lock 
equals  100  feet. 

Antwerp  docks:  Timber  gates.  Width  of  lock  equals  80  feet. 

Willemsvord  docks  (Holland):  Wrought-iron  gates. 

Amsterdam  Ship  Canal:  Wrought-iron  gates.  Width  of  lock  equals  59  feet. 

Geestemunde  docks:  Wrought-iron  gates.  Width  of  lock  equals  74.68  feet. 

North  Sea,  Baltic  Canal:  Steel  gates.  Width  of  lock  equals  82  feet. 

A.  Debauve.  Navigation  Flu viale  et  Maritime.  (Manuel  de  l’lngen- 
ieur  des  Pouts  et  Chaussees  19  eme  Fascicule).  Paris  (Dunod),  1878, 
795  pages  and  atlas. 

Standard  French  treatise.  Has  a  detailed  discussion  on  lock  gates,  including 
the  theory  of  stresses  as  based  on  Chevallier's  experiments  and  Lavoinnes’s  mathe¬ 
matical  investigations. 

Description  and  plans  of  the  following  large  gates: 

Havre  (Transatlantique  docks) :  Timber  gates.  Width  of  lock  equals  100  feet. 

Dunkirk  dock:  Timber  gates.  Width  of  lock  equals  68.9  feet. 

Dieppe  Duquesne  dock:  Timber  gates.  Built  in  1869. 

Fecamp  docks  (compound  gates  of  timber  and  iron):  Width  of  lock  equals  54.1 
feet. 

Boulogne  docks  (iron  gates):  Built  in  1866.  Width  of  lock  equals  68.9  feet. 

Amsterdam  Ship  Canal  (iron  gates):  Built  in  1874.  Width  of  lock  equals  59 
feet. 

P.  Guillemain.  Navigation  interieure.  Rivieres  et  Canaux.  (En¬ 
cyclopedia  des  Travaux  Publics)  Paris.  (Baudry  et  Cie)  1885.  Tome 
II,  p.  32  to  97.  Chapter  on  lock  gates. 


202 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  general  subject  is  discussed  and  many  small  wooden  gates  are  illustrated 
and  described. 

The  most  valuable  feature  of  this  book  is  the  account  given  of  the  author's 
experiments  with  models,  showing  the  effect  on  the  distribution  of  pressures  of 
spacing  the  horizontal  girders  in  a  gate  in  various  ways. 

A  mathematical  theory  is  also  developed  by  which  the  loading  on  each  horizon¬ 
tal  can  be  approximately  obtained. 

F.  Laroche.  (Ports  Maritimes.)  (Encyclopedic  des  Travaux  Pub¬ 
lics.)  Paris.  (Bail dry  et  Cie)  1893.  Tome  I,  p.  185.  Chapter  on 
lock  gates. 

This  treatise  gives  the  general  theory  rather  than  special  designs. 

In  the  appendixes,  detailed  calculations  of  the  stresses  in  two  gates  are  given, 
one  of  them  based  directly  on  Chevallier's  experiments  with  models  and  the  other 
on  Lavoinne's  formulae  for  the  distribution  of  stresses. 

C.  Colson.  Notes  on  docks  and  dock  construction.  London  (Long¬ 
mans,  Green  &  Co.),  1894. 

This  book  gives  the  views  of  an  experienced  engineer  on  various  topics  rather 
than  a  systematic  exposition.  In  the  chapter  on  lock  gates,  various  mooted  ques¬ 
tions  in  gate  design  are  taken  up  from  a  practical  standpoint. 

Plans  of  the  following  gates  are  given: 

Dunkirk  docks  (wrought  iron) :  Width  of  lock  equals  69  feet, 

Amsterdam  Ship  Canal  (wrought  iron):  Width  of  lock  equals  59  feet. 

Avomnouth  docks:  Timber  gates.  Width  of  lock  equals  70  feet. 

Whitehaven  docks:  Timber  gates.  Width  of  lock  equals  50  feet. 

Barry  docks:  Wrought  iron.  Width  of  lock  equals  80  feet. 

San  Fernando  docks.  Buenos  Ayres:  Wrought  iron.  Width  of  lock  equals  64 
feet. 

West  India  docks:  Wrought  iron. 

Alexandria  docks,  Hull:  Timber  gates. 

In  the  appendix  the  stresses  are  treated  graphically. 

Charles  B.  Stuart.  The  Naval  dry  docks  of  the  United  States.  New 
York,  1852. 

Gives  plans  and  description  of  60-foot  dock  gates  in  Brooklyn  Navy-Yard,  prob¬ 
ably  the  first  large  gates  built  entirely  of  wrought  iron. 

Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army.  Annual  Report  for  1895. 

Contains  reports  on  the  steel  gates  for  the  100-foot  Poe  lock  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie, 
Mich.,  viz: 

Page  3024.  Report  on  inspection  by  David  Molitor,  United  States  assistant 
engineer. 

Page  3028.  Descriptive  memoir  of  the  lock  gates  and  methods  of  calculating  the 
stresses,  by  Capt.  H.  F.  Hodges. 

Page  3041.  Distortion  of  steel  gates,  by  David  Molitor,  United  States  assistant 
engineer. 

Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army.  Annual  Report  for  1897. 

Page  2975.  Report  on  the  machinery,  by  F.  M.  Dunlap,  United  States  assistant 
engineer. 

J.  Fuelscher.  Der  Ban  des  Kaiser  Wilhelm  Kanals.  Berlin,  1898. 
(North  Sea-Baltic  Canal.) 

The  large  lock  gates  at  Holtenau  and  Brunsbuettel  (82  feet  width  of  lock),  as 
well  as  the  smaller  structures,  are  described  in  detail  and  illustrated. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


203 


Encyclopedia  Britannica,  ninth  edition.  (Article,  harbors.) 

Drawings  of  the  timber  gates  for  the  Great  Grimsby  dock  (width  of  lock 
equals  TO  feet)  and  of  the  wrought-iron  gates  in  the  Victoria  dock,  London 
(width  of  lock  equals  80  feet),  are  given. 


(B)  Special  Monographs  on  Lock  Gates. 


Sylvain  Perisse. 
et  en  Angleterre. 


Etude  sur  les  portes  d’ecluse  a  la  mer  en  France 
Paris,  1872.  pp.  09. 


A  reprint  in  book  form  from  Memoires  des  ingenieurs  civils,  1872. 

An  excellent  theoretical  and  practical  essay  on  lock  gates  in  general,  with 
detailed  description  and  plans  of  most  of  the  following  gates: 

Timber  gate s. — Dunkirk,  1856,  width  of  lock  equals  68.88  feet;  St.  Nazaire, 
1856-1859,  width  of  lock  equals  81  feet;  Havre,  1863,  width  of  lock  equals  100  feet; 
Dieppe,  1871,  width  of  lock  equals  54.12  feet;  Fecamp,  1865,  width  of  lock  equals 
54.12  feet;  Boulogne,  1866-67,  width  of  lock  equals  68.88  feet;  Great  Grimsby, 
1848,  width  of  lock  equals  70  feet;  Canada  docks,  Liverpool,  1857,  width  of  lock 
equals  100  feet. 

Wrought-iron  gates. — Brooklyn  Navy- Yard,  1847,  width  of  lock  equals  60  feet; 
Victoria  docks,  London,  1857.  width  of  lock  equals  80  feet;  J arrow  docks  (Tyne), 
1858,  width  of  lock  equals  80  feet;  Limeliouse  docks,  width  of  lock  equals  60  feet; 
Surrey  docks,  width  of  lock  equals  50  feet;  Boulogne  docks,  1867,  width  of  lock 
equals  68.9  feet:  Havre  docks,  1871,  width  of  lock  equals  52.5  feet. 

This  essay  covers  the  ground  very  well  up  to  1872.  The  series  of  articles  on 
dock  gates  published  in  The  Engineer  in  1873  are  practically  a  translation  of  this 
paper. 

Harry  F.  Hodges.  First  lieutenant,  Corps  of  Engineers,  United 
States  Army.  Notes  on  Mitering  Lock  Gates.  Washington,  Govern¬ 
ment  Printing  Office,  1892,  132  pages,  7  plates.  (Professional  Papers 
of  the  Corps  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army,  No.  26.) 

This  is  one  of  the  best  papers  on  lock  gates.  It  treats  very  fully  of  the  stresses 
in  ail  the  members  and  develops  a  practical  method  for  correct  designing. 

Plans  of  the  following  gates  are  given: 

Boulogne  dock  (iron  gates),  1866.  Width  of  lock  equals  68.88  feet. 

Havre  (Transatlantique  dock),  iron  gates,  1866.  Width  of  lock  equals  100  feet. 

Tyne  docks  (iron  gates),  1857.  Width  of  lock  equals  80  feet. 

Barry  docks  (wrought-iron  gates),  1899.  Width  of  lock  equals  80  feet. 

Avonmouth  docks  (timber  gates),  about  1877.  Width  of  lock  equals  70  feet. 

St.  Marys  Falls  Canal  (timber  gates),  1881.  Width  of  lock  equals  60  feet. 

Charenton  dock  (iron  gates),  1865.  Width  of  lock  equals  25.5  feet. 


Theodor  Landsberg.  Die  eisernen  Stemnithore  dor  Sehiffschlensen. 
Leipzig,  W.  Engelmann,  1894-.  (Fortschritte  der  Ingenienrwissen- 
schaften,  2te  Gruppe.) 

This  monograph  on  metallic  mitering  lock  gates  is  of  considerab’e  value,  but 
apparently  not  the  work  of  a  practical  designer.  Many  of  the  calculations  given 
are  of  little  value. 

Descriptions  are  given  of  the  gates  for  the  100-foot  lock  at  Havre  and  for  the 
second  Harbor  entrance  at  Wilhelmshafen. 

G.  Weitzel.  Brevet  major-general,  United  States  Army.  Construe- 


204 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


tion  of  iron  lock  gates  for  the  harbors  of  the  Weser  Kiver,  Germany. 
Washington,  D.  C.,  1874. 

Translation  of  German  notes  and  plans  of: 

Bremerhafen  dock  gates,  built  in  1848.  Width  of  lock  equals  76  feet. 

Bremerhafen  dock  gates,  proposed  in  1872.  Width  of  lock  equals  60  feet. 

Geestemunde  dock  gates,  built  in  1861.  Width  of  lock  equals  74.68  feet. 

Edouard  Widmer  and  Henry  Desprez.  Port  du  Havre.  Memoire 
sur  les  nouvelles  portes  en  tole  de  l’ecluse  des  transatlantiques.  Paris 
(Dunod),  1887. 

Reprinted  from  Annales  des  Ponts  et  Chaussees,  1887. 

It  gives  a  full  account  of  the  design,  calculation,  tests  of  material,  etc.,  of  the 
wrought-iron  gates  for  the  100-foot  lock  at  Havre. 

II.  Desprez.  Port  du  Havre.  Notice  sur  le  Bassin  Bellot.  Paris 
(Dunod),  1889,  97  pages. 

Reprinted  from  Annales  des  Ponts  et  Chaussees,  1889. 

Full  plans  and  description  of  the  wrought-iron  gates  lor  a  lock  100  feet  wide. 

(C)  Periodicals  and  Transactions  of  Engineering  Societies. 

Institution  of  Civil  Engineers  (London).  Transactions  (4to). 

Yol.  1.  1836.  Barlow.  An  early  article  on  lock  gates.  Of  much  interest,  but 
containing  some  mistakes. 

Minutes  of  Proceedings  (8  vo.). 

Yol.  6,  1847,  page  47.  Sebastopol  locks.  Built  by  Rennie.  Plans  and  descrip¬ 
tion  of  gates  for  lock  64  feet  wide.  Cast-iron  frame  and  wrought-iron  plating. 

Yol.  15.  1855.  Sunderland  docks.  Plans,  but  no  description,  of  gates  with  cast- 
iron  frame  and  timber  sheathing. 

Yol.  18,  1858.  Kingsbury.  Wrought-iron  gates  for  lock  80  feet  wide  for  Vic¬ 
toria  docks,  London.  Excellent  paper.  Insists  on  greater  economy  of  arched 
gates,  reasoning  inconclusive. 

Yol.  31,  1870.  Browne.  Strength  of  lock  gates.  Mathematical  discussion  of 
stresses  in  a  wrought-iron  horizontal  gate  girder  of  the  most  general  form.  Very 
complex,  but  gives  results  no  better  than  simple  graphical  method. 

Yol.  34,  1871-72.  H.  Vernon  Harcourt.  Wrought-iron  gates  for  South  dock, 
West  India  docks.  Width  of  lock  equals  55  feet. 

Vol.  55.  1878-79,  page  54.  In  discussion  on  Whitehaven  docks.  Browne  eluci¬ 
dates  his  opinions  further. 

Yol.  58,  1878-79.  Blandy.  Dock  gates.  Good  theoretical  analysis  (also  by 
graphics)  of  stresses  in  wrought-iron  and  timber  gates. 

Vol.  59.  1879-80.  Discussion  on  Blandy ‘s  paper. 

Yol.  62,  1879-80.  Hayter  expresses  his  opinion  on  the  value  of  eccentricity  at 
quoin  post. 

Vol.  70,  1881-82.  Bo’ness  Harbor.  Plan  and  brief  description  of  timber  gates 
for  a  lock  50  feet  wide. 

Yol.  92,  1887-88,  page  153.  Alexandra  dock,  Hull.  Plans  and  description  of 
timber  gates  for  a  lock  85  feet  wide. 

Vol.  97,  1888-89,  page  336.  W.  J.  Hall.  Steel  gates  for  Limerick  floating  dock. 
Width  of  opening  equals  70  feet. 

Yol.  101,  1889-90,  page  139.  Barry  docks.  Brief  description— no  plans— of 
wrought-iron  gates  for  lock  80  feet  wide.  Machinery  described  in  detail. 

Yol.  107.  1891-92.  Moncrieff.  Good  practical  paper  on  lock  gates,  by  a  man 
who  has  built  many  modern  gates. 


DEEP  W  ATEEWA YS. 


205 


The  Engineer  (London). 

December  27,  1861.  The  Grangemouth  dock,  by  James  Milne.  Details  of  tim¬ 
ber  gates  for  lock  25  feet  wide. 

January  22,  1869.  Avonmouth  dock,  Bristol.  Timber  gates  for  lock  85  feet 
wide.  Large  inset  sheet  of  details. 

September  10,  I860.  Millwall  lock  gates.  Brief  description  and  general  plans 
of  wrought-iron  gates.  Each  leaf  is  42  feet  long  by  81  feet  high. 

February  7.  14,  28,  March  21,  April  11,  May  2,  June  6,  20,  July  18,  October  10, 
1878.  “On  the  construction  of  dock  gates.”  An  excellent  series  of  articles. based 
largely  on  M.  Perisse’s  paper,  published  by  the  French  Society  of  Civil  Engineers, 
in  1872.  The  drawings  in  Perisse's  article  are  also  reproduced. 

November  21,  1884,  and  January  30,  1885.  C.  H.  Romanes.  “The  strains  in 
circular  lock  gates.”  The  theory  here  given  is  quite  inadequate. 

April  1,  1892.  E.  Duncan  Stoney.  “  Distribution  of  beams  in  lock  gates."  A 
graphic  method  for  proportioning  the  horizontal  girders  so  that  the  leading  shall 
be  the  same  on  each  gilder.  (Of  no  special  value.) 

Civil  Engineer  and  Architects’  Journal.  (London.) 

1861,  page  87.  Grangemouth  docks.  Plans  of  gate  for  lock  25  feet  wide,  same 
as  described  in  Engineer  for  December  27,  1861. 

Engineering  News.  (New  York.) 

March  28,  1895.  Lock  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Ontario  (Canadian  lock).  Plans  of 
operating  machinery  moved  by  electricity. 

October  21,  1897.  Cascade  lock  (Columbia  River).  Photograph  and  descrip¬ 
tion.  No  drawings. 

July  9,  1869.  Kings  Lynn  dock.  Plans  and  description  of  timber  gates  for  a 
lock  50  feet  wide. 

February  25,  1870.  Keefer.  Plans  and  description  of  solid  timber  gates  with¬ 
out  posts,  used  on  the  Welland  and  other  Canadian  canals. 

October  16, 1874.  Middlesborough  docks.  Wrought-iron  gates.  24  feet  high  by 
35  feet  long. 

October  8, 1875.  Alexandra  docks,  Newport.  Plans  and  description  of  wrought- 
iron  gates  for  a  lock  65  feet  wide. 

March  21,  1879.  Ayr  dock.  Plans  and  description  of  timber  gates  for  a  lock  60 
feet  wide. 

April  8  and  May  6,  1881.  Sunderland  dock.  Plans  and  description  of  timber 
gates  for  lock  65  feet  wide. 

December  1.  1882.  Grangemouth  dock.  Plans  and  description  of  timber  gates 
for  a  lock  55  feet  wide. 

January  26.  1894.  Manchester  Ship  Canal.  Timber  gates  for  locks  30,  45,  50, 
65,  and  80  feet  wide.  Descriptions  and  photographs,  but  no  plans. 

October  12,  26,  November  9.  1894.  West  India  docks.  Plans  and  description 
of  wrought-iron  gates  for  a  lock  60  feet  wide. 

June  21,  28,  July  5,  12,  1895.  North  Sea-Baltic  Canal.  Plans  and  description 
of  steel  gates  for  the  large  locks  82  feet  wide,  and  of  fan  gates  for  a  lock  39.4  feet 
wide. 

January  31  and  February  14,  1896.  Lady  Windsor  dock,  Barry.  Plans  and 
description  of  wrought-iron  gates  for  lock  65  feet  wide. 

September  2, 1898.  Glasgow  graving  dock.  Plans  and  description  of  steel  gates 
for  a  lock  83  feet  wide. 

Annales  des  Ponts  et  Chaussees. 

1832.  II  Semestre,  page  261.  Acollas.  Canal  de  Berry.  (Small  cast-iron  gates. ) 

1849.  II  Semestre,  page  177.  Early  wroughr-iron  gates  at  Mulliouse,  Alsace. 

1850.  I  Semestre,  pages  309-356.  V.  Chevallier,  Recherches  experiinen tales 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


206 

des  portes  d'ecluses.  (Classic  experiments  on  models  showing  relative  deflections 
of  horizontal  and  vertical  girders  in  lock  gates.) 

1852.  I  Semestre,  page  253.  Feburier.  (Tests  made  on  the  deflections  of  a 
timber  “horizontal ”  in  the  St.  Malo  lock  gate.) 

1861.  I  Semestre.  page  113.  La  Ferine.  (On  a  method  of  unshipping  a  large 
lock  gate.) 

1865.  1  Semestre,  page  139.  Malezieux.  Description  and  plans  of  small 
wrought-iron  gate  at  Charenton. 

1866.  I  Semestre,  page  126.  Lermoyoz.  Sur  le  merite  comparatif  des  portes 
d'ecluses  en  hois  et  des  portes  en  metal.  (Gives  reasons  for  preferring  wooden 
canal  lock  gates  to  metallic  ones.) 

1867.  I  Semestre,  pages  321-430.  Lavoinne.  Memoire  sur  la  flexion  des  entre- 
toises  et  du  bordage  dans  les  portes  d'ecluses.  (Classic  work,  awarded  a  prize  of 
300  francs;  gives  mathematical  analysis  of  strains  in  horizontal  and  vertical 
girders  in  gates. ) 

1868.  II  Semestre,  page  339.  Cambuzet.  Note  comparative  sur  les  portes  en 
metal  et  en  bois  qui  existent  aux  ecluses  du  canal  du  Nivernais.  (Describes  acci¬ 
dent  to  cast-iron  gates.  Prefers  timber.) 

1869.  II  Semestre,  pages  81-102.  Carlier.  Portes  d'ecluses  du  Port  de  Fecamp. 
(Combined  timber  and  iron  gates  for  a  lock  53  feet  wide.) 

1881.  I  Semestre,  page  540.  Boutan.  L'appareil  hydraulique  des  portes 
d'ecluse  a  Bordeaux.  (Calculations  and  plans  of  hydraulic  machinery.) 

1887.  II  Semestre,  pages  411-463.  E.  Widmer  and  H.  Desprez,  Port  du  Havre. 
Nouvelles  portes  en  tole  d'ecluse  des  transatlantiques.  (Full  plans  and  descrip¬ 
tion  of  the  wrought-iron  gates  for  100-foot  lock.)  Also  published  in  book  form. 

1887.  II  Semestre,  pages  704-756.  Galliot.  Etude  sur  les  portes  d’ecluses  en 
tole.  (Excellent  mathematical  investigation  of  (1)  strength  of  flat  iron  plates; 
(2)  relative  stresses  in  the  different  horizontal  and  vertical  girders  in  a  gate.  This 
is  same  problem  as  treated  by  Lavoinne  in  1867.) 

1888.  I  Semestre,  page  1018.  Laroche.  Methode  elementaire  pour  calculer  la 
resistance  des  portes  d’ecluse.  (Elementary  investigation  of  stresses.  Not  very 
valuable.) 

1889.  I  Semestre,  pages  5-97.  Desprez.  Le  Bassin  Bellot.  (Excellent  plans 
and  description  of  iron  gates  for  a  lock  98.4  feet  wide.)  Also  published  in  book 
form. 

1892.  I  Semestre,  pages  633-801.  Maurice  Widmer.  Canal  du  Havre  a  Tan- 
carville.  (Excellent  plans  and  calculations  for  wrought-iron  gates  for  lock  52^ 
feet  wide.) 

1892.  II  Semestre.  page  783.  A.  Fontaine.  Les  Ecluses  a  grande  chute  (5.2 
m.j  du  Canal  da  Centre.  (Interesting  small  gates  with  buckled  steel  covering.) 

1893.  II  Semestre.  page  44.  Maurice  Renard.  Nouvelles  ecluses  du  Canal  St. 
Denis.  (Single  skin  gates  for  lock  27  feet  wide,  with  32|  feet  lift,  small  but 
interesting.) 

1895.  I  Semestre,  pages  459-602.  C.  de  Franchimont.  Note  sur  la  construction 
du  3  erne  bassin  a  flot  da  Rochefort.  (Excellent  account  of  gates  and  machinery. 
Reasons  for  preferring  “  horizontal’-  system  of  girders.) 

MEMOIRS  DE  LA  SOCIETE  DES  INGENIEURS  CIVILS. 

1872.  Pages  319-415.  Sylvain  Perisse.  Etude  sur  les  portes  d'ecluse  a  lar  Mer 
en  France  et  en  Angleterre.  ( Excellent  essay  on  dock  gates.  Reprinted  as  a  book. 
Paris,  1873.) 

PORTEFEUILLE  ECONOMIQUE  DES  MACHINES. 

1883.  July,  page  102.  Appareils  de  Manoeuvre  des  portes  et  des  ventelles  des 
ecluses  double  du  Canal  du  Nord  sur  Paris.  (Plans  and  description  of  operating 
machinery  and  valves  for  small  locks, ) 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


207 


TRAVAUX  DE  VACANCE  (ECOLE  CENTRALE). 

Port  du  Havre.  Porte  d'ecluse  gome  Bassin.  (Two  sheets  of  illustrations:  no 
text. ) 

ZEITSCHRIFT  DES  HANNOVERSCHEN  ARCHITEKTEN  UND  INGENIEURVEREINS. 

1852-53,  page  339 ;  1853-54,  page  241.  Rulilmann.  (Short  mathematical  study 
on  most  economical  sill  angle.  No  special  value.) 

1855,  page  475.  H.  Huebbe.  Details  of  timber  gates  for  Great  Grimsby  Lock, 
70  i'eet  wide. 

1861,  page  93.  Plener.  Great  Western  Dock  gates  at  Plymouth  (England). 
Plans  and  description  of  wrought-iron  gates  for  lock  80  feet  wide. 

1865,  page  226.  Welkner.  Wrought-iron  gates  for  Geestemunde  Docks. 
Width  of  lock  equals  76  feet.  Valuable  experiments  on  strength  of  flat  plates. 

1865,  page  491.  Interesting  historical  note  on  wrought-iron  gates. 

1866,  page  309.  Hess.  Bemerkungen  uber  die  neuen  belgischen  und  franzo- 
sisclien  Konstruktionen  der  Kanal  Schleusenthore. 

1838,  page  419.  Professor  Barkhausen.  “Uber  einige  neuere  Englischen  See- 
schleusen.’’  Excellent  notes  and  sketches  on  modern  English  locks. 

1889,  page  743.  Van  Horn.  Plans  of  gates  for  Transatlantique  Dock.  Havre. 
(Taken  from  Annales  des  Ponts  et  Chaussees,  1887.) 

1891,  page  349.  E.  Rechtern  and  H.  Arnold.  Der  Bau  der  zweiten  Hafenein- 
fahrt  zu  Wilhelmshafen.  (Good  plans  and  descriptions  of  wrought-iron  gates  for 
lock  80  feet  wide.  Reason  for  preferring  girder  to  arch  shapes. ) 

DEUTSCHE  BAUZEITUNGr. 

1891,  September  12  and  19.  L.  Brennecke.  Die  Entwickelung  der  Schleusen¬ 
thore  der  Neuzeit.  (Brief  but  excellent  statement  of  the  author's  views  on  lock 
gates. ) 

TIJDSCH RIFT  KONINKLIJK  INSTITUUT  VAN  INGENIEURS  (HOLLAND). 

1863-64,  page  14.  J.  Strootman.  Over  wijde  zeesliuzen  en  sluitdeuren  van 
plaatijzer.  (Complete  study  on  calculation  and  design  of  iron  lock  gates. ) 

1866-67,  page  116.  Strootman.  Docks  Willemoord.  (Wrought-iron  gates  about 
36  feet  square.) 

1870-71.  page  187.  J.  F.  W.  Conrad.  (Full  description  of  Willem  III  lock,  includ¬ 
ing  plans  of  wrought-iron  gates  for  a  lock  59  feet  wide. ) 

1885-86,  page  429.  J.  Strootman.  Ijzeren  deuren  voor  sluizen  op  binnenlandsche 
scheepvaartskanalen.  (Good  theoretical  study  of  small  iron  gates.) 

G-ratef ul  acknowledgment  is  here  made  to  Mr.  Joseph  Ripley,  United 
States  assistant  engineer  in  charge  of  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal,  for  valu¬ 
able  information  freely  given  and  assistance  rendered  in  making  meas¬ 
urements  of  the  deflection  of  the  lock  gates  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

The  work  covered  by  this  report  was  begun  in  December  of  1897  by 
Mr.  Henry  Goldmark,  assistant  engineer,  and  remained  under  his 
charge  until  June,  1899.  After  his  retirement  on  account  of  ill  health, 
the  undersigned,  who  had  acted  as  principal  assistant  from  May,  1898, 
completed  the  investigations  and  prepared  the  present  report. 

Very  respectfully  submitted. 

S.  II.  Woodard. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


208 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Appendix  No.  .'3. 

BREAKWATERS  AT  CANAL  ENTRANCES,  OSWEGO  AND 

OLCOTT,  N.  Y. 

BREAKWATERS  AT  CANAL  ENTRANCES. 

The  plans  of  the  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways  provide 
for  canals  entering  Lake  Ontario  at  Oswego  and  Oleott,  N.  Y.  I  have 
the  honor  to  submit  for  the  consideration  of  the  Board  the  following 
projects  for  the  construction  of  breakwaters  at  these  entrances,  with 
estimates  of  cost.  The  breakwaters  first  considered  are  adapted  to 
the  requirements  of  a  waterway  having  a  depth  of  30  feet. 

OSWEGO. 

The  existing  harbor  at  this  locality  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Oswego  River,  near  the  eastern  end  of  Lake  Ontario.  The  prevailing 
violent  winds  are  from  the  west  and  northwest.  The  greatest  water 
exposure  is  to  the  westward,  which  is  therefore  the  direction  of  the 
heaviest  seas.  The  movement  of  gravel  and  other  material  derived 
from  the  attrition  of  the  shores  is  from  west  to  east.  The  material  of 
the  bottom  is  sand  and  gravel  underlaid  by  argillaceous  sandstone  of 
the  Utica  formation. 

The  construction  of  breakwaters  to  form  an  anchorage  and  cover 
the  entrance  to  the  Oswego  River  wras  commenced  by  the  Government 
in  1827,  and  works  of  extension  or  repair  have  been  in  progress  down 
to  the  present  day.  The  existing  breakwaters  are  of  the  usual  crib 
formation  so  long  employed  in  the  construction  of  such  works  for  the 
improvement  of  the  lake  harbors.  Their  locations  are  shown  on 
plate  18. 

The  proposed  canal,  as  designed  by  the  Board,  enters  the  lake  at 
Sheldons  Point,  which  is  a  short  distance  west  of  the  existing  break¬ 
water  harbor.  The  first  lock  is  located  on  the  shore  of  the  lake.  The 
channel  connecting  it  with  deep  water  in  the  lake  will  be  about  1,700 
feet  long  and  600  feet  wide,  and  is  to  be  bordered  by  timber  cribs  for 
mooring  and  guiding  vessels,  as  shown  on  figures  1  to  6,  inclusive. 

PLAN  OF  THE  BREAKWATERS. 

The  breakwaters  required  at  this  locality  have  for  their  objects  to 
shelter  the  entrance  to  the  canal  from  heavy  seas,  to  protect  the 
excavated  channel  from  shoaling  from  the  movement  of  materials 
worn  from  the  shores,  and  to  form  a  harbor  of  refuge  for  vessels  in 
time  of  storms.  The  heaviest  seas  come  from  the  westward.  The 
main  breakwater  is  therefore  located  west  of  the  canal  and  extends 
in  a  northerly  direction,  following  the  arc  of  a  circle,  with  4,700  feet 
radius,  in  order  to  increase  the  anchorage  area.  This  direction  has 
been  selected  so  as  to  be  about  normal  to  the  direction  of  the  most 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


209 


violent  wave  mot  ion,  so  as  to  avoid  the  formation  of  an  accumulated 
wave.  The  long  breakwater  in  the  existing  harbor  has  a  northeast 
direction,  and  makes  so  small  an  angle  with  the  direction  of  greatest 
wave  motion  that  an  accumulated  wave  is  formed  at  its  eastern  end 
during  the  prevalence  of  westerly  storms,  making  entrance  to  the 
harbor  difficult  and  dangerous. 

The  main  breakwater  commences  at  the  shore,  and  therefore  serves 
as  a  jetty  to  stop  the  eastward  movement  of  material  which  might 
form  shoals  in  the  excavated  channel. 

Since  northerly  winds  sometimes  create  heavy  seas  in  this  locality, 
a  second  breakwater  has  been  designed  to  extend  from  a  point  on  the 
face  of  the  old  breakwater,  in  a  northeast  direction,  toward  the  eastern 
extremity  of  the  main  breakwater.  The  interval  between  the  outer 
ends  of  these  breakwaters,  which  has  a  width  of  1)50  feet,  forms  the 
entrance  to  the  harbor. 

It  will  be  observed  that  these  breakwaters  are  located,  witli  refer¬ 
ence  to  each  other,  so  as  to  leave  between  their  ends  a  clear  channel 
GOO  feet  wide,  measured  perpendicular  to  its  axis,  which  curves  with 
a  radius  of  5,000  feet  from  the  entrance  to  a  point  between  the  heads 
of  the  piers.  The  tangent  to  the  axis  of  the  channel  at  the  entrance 
has  a  direction  about  north.  The  shelter  could  be  increased  by  ex¬ 
tending  the  western  breakwater  farther  to  the  eastward;  but  this 
would  increase  the  curvature  of  the  channel  at  the  entrance,  and  is 
therefore  considered  undesirable. 

The  harbor  thus  formed  will  have  an  area  of  nearly  127  acres,  meas¬ 
uring  to  the  low-water  line.  The  existing  harbor,  which  has  an  area 
of  about  180  acres,  will  always  be  available  for  the  anchorage  of  ves¬ 
sels  of  small  draft,  and  it  can  be  made  conveniently  accessible  from 
the  new  harbor  by  the  removal  of  the  breakwater  at  its  western  end. 
Large  vessels  entering  the  harbor  will,  of  course,  pass  directly  into 
the  canal.  It  is  believed  that  the  mooring  piers  and  the  anchorage 
area  in  their  vicinity  will  afford  ample  accommodation  for  those 
descending  the  canal  and  detained  by  storms.  The  aggregate  length 
of  the  proposed  breakwaters  is  0,635  feet.  Their  locations  are  shown 
on  figures  1  to  (5,  inclusive. 

CHARACTER  OF  STRUCTURES. 

Heretofore  the  piers  and  breakwaters  constructed  in  the  Great 
Lakes  have  been  formed  of  pile  work  or  timber  cribs  filled  with 
stone.  When  the  exposure  is  great,  crib  breakwaters  have  been 
found  preferable  to  those  formed  of  piles.  These  structures  are,  to  a 
certain  extent,  of  a  temporary  character,  and  require  frequent  and 
troublesome  repairs.  Below  the  water  level  they  may  be  considered 
permanent,  if  not  displaced  by  storms,  but  above  that  level  they 
require  renewal  every  ten  or  fifteen  years.  The  cribs  require  care¬ 
fully  prepared  foundations,  and  when  all  precautions  have  been  taken 
H.  Doc.  149 - 14 


210 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


it  is  not  always  possible  to  make  them  retain  their  places  upon  the 
bottom.  Breakwaters  thus  constructed  are,  of  course,  much  cheaper 
than  structures  formed  wholly  of  concrete  or  stone  masonry,  but  it  is 
a  question  worthy  of  investigation  whether  they  are  as  advantageous 
or  as  economical,  considering  the  cost  of  maintenance,  as  random 
stone  breakwaters  constructed  in  accordance  with  modern  methods, 
like  those  which  have  been  established  at  certain  localities  on  the 
coast  of  the  sea. 

The  random-stone  breakwaters  adopted  for  the  formation  of  harbors 
on  our  seacoast  consist  of  a  substructure  formed  by  depositing  stones 
along  the  site  of  the  work  to  about  the  level  of  mean  low  water,  and 
of  a  superstructure  constructed  of  heavy  stones  laid  carefully  in  posi¬ 
tion.  The  characteristic  advantages  of  such  breakwaters,  as  com¬ 
pared  with  those  of  other  types,  are  the  facility  and  simplicity  of 
their  construction  and  repair.  Their  peculiar  disadvantage  is  that 
they  require  a  large  volume  of  material  in  the  substructure,  most  of 
which  is  not  needed  to  resist  wave  action  and  serves  only  to  support 
the  comparatively  small  resisting  parts  of  the  work.  In  the  locality 
under  consideration  random-stone  breakwaters  will,  of  course,  be 
much  easier  to  construct  than  crib  breakwaters.  They  require  no 
leveling  under  water,  they  are  composed  of  only  one  kind  of  material, 
and  the  plant  and  method  of  construction  are  of  the  simplest  charac¬ 
ter.  The  experience  of  the  breakwaters  at  the  entrance  to  Delaware 
Bay  appears  to  show  that  works  of  this  character,  when  properly  con¬ 
structed,  have  sufficient  stability  to  resist  the  action  of  very  violent 
storms.  The  injuries  inflicted  upon  crib  breakwaters  by  storms  and 
ice  are  of  a  very  troublesome  character.  The  cribs  slide  on  their 
foundations  or  tip  over,  the  timber  and  iron  parts  are  twisted  and 
broken,  and  the  filling  is  washed  out.  These  works  require  constant 
attention  and  frequent  expensive  renewal  or  repairs.  The  injuries 
inflicted  by  storms  on  the  breakwaters  in  Delaware  Bay  have,  on  the 
contrary,  been  of  the  most  trifling  character  and  easily  repaired  at 
very  small  cost.  It  only  remains  to  compare  the  cost  of  construction 
of  these  two  kinds  of  breakwaters. 

At  the  time  the  method  of  crib  construction  was  adopted  for  works 
in  the  Great  Lakes  lumber  was  cheap  and  plentiful  and  small  stone 
suitable  for  filling  could  be  readily  obtained.  On  the  other  hand, 
economical  plant  and  methods  for  quarrying,  transporting,  and  depos¬ 
iting  very  large  stones  did  not  exist.  The  construction  of  random- 
stone  breakwaters  was  at  that  time  difficult  and  costly,  the  compar¬ 
atively  small  size  of  the  stone  which  could  then  be  economically 
quarried  and  deposited  gave  to  the  works  little  stability,  and  it  was 
considered  absolutely  necessary  that  the  substructure  should  have  a 
very  large  cross  section  with  gentle  slopes  exposed  to  the  action  of 
the  waves.  Under  these  circumstances  the  adoption  of  the  crib 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


211 


method  of  construction  was  doubtless  most  economical  and  advan¬ 
tageous.  At  the  present  time  the  conditions  are  entirely  different. 
The  cost  of  lumber  has  greatly  increased,  while  the  cost  of  quarrying, 
transporting,  and  depositing  large  stone  lias  greatly  diminished. 
Moreover,  experience  in  Delaware  Bay  and  elsewhere  seems  to  show 
conclusively  that  the  cross  section  formerly  adopted  for  random-stone 
breakwaters  can  be  greatly  reduced  without  sacrificing  stability,  if 
the  work  is  constructed  of  large  stone  properly  deposited. 

Assuming  that  a  crib  should  have  a  width  not  less  than  its  height, 
it  can  easily  be  shown  that,  at  present  prices  and  with  the  depths  at 
Oswego,  a  crib  breakwater  with  the  crib  work  carried  nearly  to  the 
bottom  would  be  much  more  expensive  than  a  random-stone  break¬ 
water  of  the  Delaware  Bay  type.  There  is,  however,  another  method 
of  construction  in  which  cribs  are  employed  which  deserves  careful 
consideration,  and  which  is  adopted  in  two  of  the  breakwaters  now 
in  process  of  construction  in  Buffalo  Harbor.  These  breakwaters 
consist,  of  a  random-stone  substructure  rising  to  a  level  of  22  feet 
below  the  water  surface  and  a  crib  superstructure  the  top  of  which  is 
12  feet  above  lake  level.  The  method  is  evidently  modeled  upon 
modern  European  practice,  which  carries  the  superstructure  down  to 
a  level  at  which  wave  action  is  supposed  to  have  no  appreciable  effect 
upon  the  substructure.  The  use  of  cribs  instead  of  concrete  in 
blocks  or  in  mass  is,  of  course,  much  more  economical  and  can  be 
safelj*  adopted  in  the  fresh  water  of  the  lakes. 

In  forming  an  approximate  estimate  of  the  difference  in  cost  of 
breakwaters  on  the  crib  and  random-stone  methods  at  Oswego  the 
following  assumptions  have  been  made : 

1.  The  substructure  for  the  crib  breakwater  will  be  formed  of  large 
rubblestone  deposited  upon  the  bottom.  Its  upper  surface  will  be  22 
feet  below  lake  level  and  will  have  a  width  of  50  feet.  The  slopes 
will  have  an  inclination  of  1  on  1.3.  Each  cubic  yard  of  substruc¬ 
ture  volume  is  assumed  to  require  1.34  net  tons  of  stone. 

At  Buffalo  a  trench  is  excavated  and  filled  with  gravel  to  form  a 
foundation  for  the  work,  as  the  hard  bottom  is  covered  with  soft 
material  of  considerable  depth.  This  is  unnecessary  at  Oswego, 
where  there  is  a  hard  bottom,  and  accordingly  the  cost  of  this  part 
of  the  work  is  omitted  from  the  estimate. 

2.  The  superstructure  will  be  the  standard  timber  crib  adopted  at 
Buffalo.  The  cost  of  the  timber  and  iron  in  1  linear  foot  of  this  crib 
is  estimated  at  $77.37,  the  cost  of  hemlock  being  assumed  at  $23  per 
M,  white  pine  at  $32  per  M,  and  iron  at  4  cents  per  pound.  To  this 
$1  is  added  to  cover  the  extra  cost  of  leveling  the  upper  surface  of 
the  substructure  under  water.  The  assumed  cost  per  linear  foot  of 
the  superstructure  without  filling  is  therefore  $78.37.  The  crib  will 
contain  45.833  net  tons  of  stone  filling  per  linear  foot. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


9  1  9 

W  -  — 


3.  The  dimensions,  method  of  construction,  and  estimated  cost  of 
the  random-stone  breakwaters  are  given  in  another  part  of  this  paper. 
The  cost  of  the  stone  in  place  is  estimated  at  $1.20  per  net  ton. 

Under  t lie  above  assumptions  the  difference  in  cost  per  linear  foot 
between  the  random-stone  and  crib  breakwaters  for  all  depths  greater 
than  22  feet  is  given  by  the  formula 

A  =  2.0361)  +  0.0211)'  —  94.88, 

in  which  I)  is  the  depth  and  A  is  positive  when  the  cost  of  the  random- 
stone  breakwater  exceeds  that  of  the  crib  breakwater. 

At  a  depth  of  34.4  feet  the  breakwaters  of  the  two  methods  are  ecpial 
in  cost.  This  is  almost  exactly  the  average  deptli  on  the  breakwater 
sites  beyond  the  depth  of  22  feet,  so  that  the  cost  would  be  practi¬ 
cally  the  same  for  the  two  methods.  At  depths  less  than  22  feet  the 
random- stone  method  will  be  somewhat  the  cheaper.  The  cost  of 
maintenance  is,  as  before  remarked,  much  less  for  random-stone  than 
for  crib  breakwaters. 

For  the  reasons  above  stated  the  random-stone  method  of  construc¬ 
tion  described  below  has  been  adopted  for  the  breakwaters  proposed 
herein.  It  should  be  remarked,  however,  that  in  cases  where  it  is 
desirable  to  utilize  a  breakwater  for  the  purposes  of  mooring  or 
unloading  vessels,  as  at  Buffalo,  tin?  crib  superstructure  should  be 
adopted. 

METHOD  OF  CONSTRUCTION  AND  CROSS  SECTION. 

The  method  of  construction  and  the  cross  section  adopted  for  the 
works  under  consideration  are  based  upon  the  results  of  experience 
in  the  construction  of  random-stone  breakwaters  at  the  entrance  to 
Delaware  Bay.  The  old  breakwater  harbor  in  that  locality  was  com¬ 
menced  in  1828,  and  was  completed  in  accordance  with  the  original 
design  in  1809.  It  was  formed  by  two  detached  breakwaters  separated 
by  an  interval  of  1,390  feet.  A  new  breakwater  closing  this  interval 
was  constructed  between  1884  and  1898.  Another  extensive  break¬ 
water,  to  form  a  national  harbor  of  refuge,  was  commenced  in  1897 
and  is  still  in  process  of  construction. 

The  methods  followed  in  these  works  were  first  employed  in  the  con¬ 
struction  of  the  breakwater  to  close  the  interval  in  the  old  harbor. 
The  history  of  this  work  is  given  in  detail  in  the  final  report  submitted 
to  the  ( hief  of  Engineers  on  June  19, 1899,  and  published  in  the  Annual 
Report  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers  for  1899,  page  1346.  The  experience 
and  reasoning  upon  which  the  method  of  construction  is  based  will 
be  found  in  this  report,  and  it  is  therefore  unnecessary  to  repeat  them 
here. 

Substructure. — This  part  of  the  work  extends  from  the  bottom  to 
the  level  of  low  water.  In  construction  it  is  best  to  raise  it  to  a  level 
of  about  1  foot  above  low  water  to  allow  for  settlement  and  to  facil- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


213 


itate  the  construction  of  the  superstructure.  All  the  stone  must  be 
deposited  within  the  limits  of  the  low-water  width,  so  that  the  mass 
may  be  permitted  to  form  its  own  slopes  under  the  action  of  the  waves. 
The  stones  deposited  to  form  the  slopes  should  have  a  minimum 
weight  of  about  3  tons.  For  the  interior  smaller  stones  may  be 
employed. 

The  most  economical  and  rapid  method  of  depositing  the  material, 
up  to  a  level  of  about  10  feet  below  the  water  level,  is  from  bottom¬ 
dumping  barges.  Above  that  level  steam  derrick  barges  are  more 
advantageous. 

The  substructure  should  be  allowed  to  settle  at  least  a  year  before 
constructing  the  superstructure  upon  it.  It  should  be  carefully  lev¬ 
eled  as  the  superstructure  is  built.  After  the  completion  of  the 
superstructure  the  slopes  of  the  substructure  should  be  examined  and 
all  holes  should  be  filled  with  stones  placed  in  position. 

The  width  of  the  substructure  at  the  water  level  is  determined  by 
the  dimensions  adopted  for  the  superstructure,  and  is  in  this  case  27 
feet.  Experience  shows  that  for  the  purpose  of  estimate  the  interior 
slope  may  be  assumed  as  1  on  1.3,  and  the  exterior  slope  as  1  on  2. 

From  the  experience  at  the  Delaware  breakwaters,  it  is  assumed 
that  each  cubic  yard  will  require  1.34  net  tons  of  stone.  This  esti¬ 
mate  includes  an  allowance  for  settlement  and  misplacement. 

Superstructure. — The  inner  and  outer  walls  of  the  superstructure 
should  be  formed  of  very  heavy  stones  laid  endwise  to  the  sea,  and 
the  space  between  them  should  be  compactly  tilled  with  rubble.  At 
the  Delaware  breakwaters  the  height  of  the  superstructure  above  high 
water  is  about  9.5  feet,  and  the  top  width  20  feet.  From  experience 
at  these  breakwaters,  however,  it  is  considered  perfectly  safe  to  adopt 
for  the  Oswego  breakwaters  a  height  of  8  feet  and  a  top  width  of  15 
feet.  The  slope  at  the  Delaware  breakwaters  is  1  on  0.7,  both  on  the 
harbor  and  sea  side  of  the  works.  This  is  very  steep  for  the  exterior 
slope,  and  although  it  has  been  found  satisfactory  at  the  old  Delaware 
breakwater,  a  gentler  slope  might  be  found  desirable  where  the 
exposure  is  great.  A  slope  of  1  on  0.75  is  adopted  for  the  purposes  of 
estimate.  The  width  of  the  superstructure  at  the  base  will  be  27 
feet. 

The  walls  should  be  laid  up  in  three  courses.  Each  stone  should  be 
laid  with  its  shortest  dimension  vertical,  and  in  the  outer  wall  should 
weigh  not  less  than  9,000  pounds.  For  the  inner  w^all  the  stones  may 
be  of  considerably  less  weight.  The  length  of  each  stone  should, 
however,  be  greater  than  its  width,  and  it  should  be  laid  in  the  wall 
with  its  shortest  dimension  vertical  and  its  longest  dimension  perpen¬ 
dicular  to  the  axis  of  the  breakwater. 

Assuming  1.4  net  tons  per  cubic  yard  of  superstructure  volume, 
each  linear  foot  of  superstructure  will  require  8.71  tons  of  stone  for 
its  construction. 


214 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  number  of  tons  of  stone  contained  in  one  linear  foot  of  the 
breakwater  is  given  by  the  formula 

T=1.34D  +  0.08187D2+8.711 
in  which  D  represents  the  depth  of  the  water. 

MATERIAL. 

A  good  quality  of  limestone,  weighing  about  168  pounds  t-o  the 
cubic  foot,  can  be  obtained  at  Chaumont  and  Three-Mile  Bay,  N.  V. 
This  stone  is  believed  to  have  sufficient  durability  for  breakwater  con¬ 
struction.  It  can  be  deposited  in  the  work  at  a  cost  not  exceeding 
$1.20  per  net  ton.  This  price  is  assumed  in  the  estimate  as  the  aver¬ 
age  cost  per  ton  in  place  for  both  substructure  and  superstructure. 

LIGHTHOUSE  AND  FOG  SIGNAL. 

The  harbor  will  require  a  light-house  and  fog  signal,  and  their  cost 
must  be  included  in  the  estimates.  They  will,  of  course,  be  designed 
and  constructed  by  the  Light-House  Board.  From  information  kindly 
furnished  by  Lieut.  Col.  D.  P.  Heap,  Corps  of  Engineers,  engineer  of 
the  Third  light-house  district,  it  is  believed  that  the  cost  of  these 
works,  including  contingencies,  may  be  estimated  at  about  $60,000. 

ESTIMATE  OF  COST. 

The  cost  of  constructing  these  works  is  estimated  as  follows: 

Stone  in  place,  941,931  net  tons,  at  $1.20 . .  . .  $1, 130, 317. 20 

Contingencies  _ ...  . . .  114,682.80 

Total  for  breakwaters  . . . . . ....  1,245.000.00 

Light  house  and  fog  signal .  . _ .  60, 000.  00 

Total  . _ .  . . .  . . . . .  1,305,000.00 

The  profiles  of  the  breakwaters  and  the  details  of  the  estimate  are 
shown  on  figures  1  to  6,  inclusive. 

OLCOTT. 

The  existing  harbor  at  this  locality  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of 
Eighteen-Mile  Creek,  which  is  about  18  miles  east  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Niagara  River.  The  exposure  is  much  less  than  at  Oswego.  The 
movement  of  wave-worn  material  is  from  west  to  east.  The  bottom 
consists  of  sandstone  overlaid  by  sand  and  gravel. 

The  entrance  to  the  harbor  is  formed  by  two  parallel  crib  break¬ 
waters  extending  outward  from  the  shore  for  distances  of  850  and 
873  feet,  the  width  between  them  being  about  200  feet.  These  works 
were  constructed  between  the  years  1867  and  1882.  The  harbor  is 
excavated  in  the  bed  of  the  creek  inside  the  shore  line  of  the  lake. 
The  locations  of  the  piers  and  harbors  are  shown  on  plate  17. 

The  canal  designed  by  the  Board  enters  the  lake  a  short  distance 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


215 


east  of  the  existing  piers.  The  channel  connecting  it  .vith  deep  water 
in  the  lake  will  he  about  3,680  feet  long  and  600  feet  wide,  and  has  a 
direction  a  little  west  of  north.  Piers  for  mooring  and  guiding  vessels 
at  the  entrance  are  not  provided,  as  there  will  be  ample  anchorage 
area  and  mooring  facilities  in  the  basin  of  the  canal  within  the  shore 
line.  A  crib  pier  on  each  side  of  the  entrance  to  clearly  mark  its 
location  is  all  that  is  considered  necessary.  The  first  lock  is  about 
5,000  feet  above  the  entrance. 

PLAN  OF  THE  BREAKWATERS. 

The  breakwaters  are  required  to  shelter  the  entrance  to  the  canal 
from  heavy  seas  and  to  protect  the  excavated  channel  from  shoaling. 
As  before  remarked,  it  is  not  necessary  to  provide  for  anchorage  areas 
outside  the  shore  line. 

The  breakwaters  are  designed  to  start  from  the  shore  at  a  distance 
of  300  feet  from  the  channel,  making  the  interval  between  them  1,200 
feet.  They  are  carried  out  parallel  to  each  other  for  a  distance  of 
1,840  feet  from  the  shore,  or  half  the  distance  from  the  lake  entrance. 
From  this  point  they  converge  on  arcs  of  circles  out  to  a  depth  of  35 
feet,  so  as  to  give  the  entrance  a  clear  width  of  600  feet.  This  plan 
has  the  advantage  of  forming  a  stilling  basin  to  moderately  reduce 
the  height  of  waves  during  storms. 

The  aggregate  length  of  the  proposed  breakwaters  is  5,395  feet. 
Their  locations  are  shown  on  figs.  7  to  12,  inclusive. 

CHARACTER,  CONSTRUCTION,  AND  CROSS  SECTION  OF  THE  BREAKWATERS. 

For  the  reasons  fully  stated  in  connection  with  the  investigation  of 
the  breakwaters  designed  for  Oswego  it  is  proposed  to  construct 
these  breakwaters  of  random  stone,  in  accordance  with  the  general 
method  adopted  for  the  breakwaters  in  Delaware  Bay.  The  cross 
section  and  details  of  construction  and  the  data  employed  will  be  the 
same  as  heretofore  described  for  the  works  at  Oswego,  with  the 
exception  of  the  price  of  stone,  which  is  taken  at  $1.35  instead  of 
$1.20  per  net  ton,  the  works  in  this  case  being  much  farther  from 
the  quarries. 

ESTIMATE  OF  COST. 

The  cost  of  constructing  the  works  is  estimated  as  follows : 


Stone  in  place.  388,670  net  tons,  at  $1.35 . $524,704.50 

Contingencies .  55, 295. 50 

Total  for  breakwaters .  ...  580, 000. 00 

Light-house  and  fog  signal  _  .  60. 000.  00 

Total .  640,000.00 


The  profiles  of  the  breakwaters  and  the  details  of  the  estimate  are 
shown  on  figs.  7  to  12,  inclusive. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


216 


BREAKWATERS  FOR  A  WATERWAY  HAVING  A  DEPTH  OF  21  FEET. 

The  same  general  plans  are  adopted;  hut  the  lengths  of  the  break¬ 
waters,  and  consequently  the  cost  of  construction,  may  be  consider¬ 
ably  reduced. 

OSWEGO. 

The  locations  of  the  breakwaters  proposed  for  the  21-foot  waterway 
are  shown  on  tig.  4,  and  the  profiles  and  details  of  the  estimate  on 
figs.  5  and  0. 

ESTIMATE  OF  COST. 


Stone  in  place.  551,150  net  tons,  at  $1.20 . . .  $661,380.00 

Contingencies . . .  ..  . . . . .  66, 120. 00 

Total  for  breakwaters  .  ..  .  .. .  . ..  727,500.00 

Light-house  and  fog  signal  . . . .  60, 000. 00 

Total.  _ _ _  -  . .  787,500.00 


OLCOTT. 

The  locations  of  the  breakwaters  proposed  for  the  21-foot  waterway 
are  shown  on  fig.  10,  and  the  profiles  and  details  of  the  estimate  on 
figs.  11  and  12. 

ESTIMATE  OF  COST. 


Stone  in  place,  175,062  net  tons,  at  $1.35 . . . $236, 333.  70 

Contingencies . . . . .  23,666.30 


Total  for  breakwaters . .  260. 000. 00 

Light-house  and  fog  signal . . . . . .  60. 000. 00 


Total 


320, 000. 00 


Respectfully  submitted. 


C.  W.  Raymond, 

Lieuten ant-  Colonel,  Corps  of  Engineers. 
The  Hoard  op  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  4. 

SPEED  OF  SHIPS. 

SPEED  OF  SHIPS  IN  THE  PROPOSED  DEEP  WATERWAY. 

The  speed  which  ships  can  attain  in  the  different  sections  of  the 
proposed  deep  waterway  is  a  question  vital  to  a  discussion  of  the 
facilities  it  would  offer  for  economical  transportation.  For  this  pur¬ 
pose  there  is  needed  a  definite  schedule  of  speeds  which  a  ship  is  likely 
to  attain  in  each  of  its  several  sections.  Previous  discussions  of  the 


CM 


TOTAL  LENGTH  OF  SUHfcRSr  RIJCTURE  2630  feet 


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APPENDIX  3, fig. 


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APPENOIX  3, FIG. 


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APPENDIX  3.FI6.6 


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APPENDIX  3,  FIG. 


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PROPOSEO  BREAKWATER 


APPENDIX  3 ,  FI G.  1 1 


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APPENDIX 


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DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


217 


speed  of  ships  in  restricted  channels  have  had  reference  mostly  to 
small  canal  boats  in  narrow  canals. 

Recorded  observations  on  the  movement  of  large  ships  in  restricted 
waterways  are  not  wholly  lacking,  but  they  relate  in  general  to  chan¬ 
nels  differing  so  greatly  in  dimensions  from  the  proposed  deepwater¬ 
way  as  to  have  a  limited  application  in  the  establishment  of  the  pro¬ 
posed  schedule  of  speeds.  "To  state  the  situation  more  definitely,  if 
it  be  desired  to  draw  a  curve  which  shall  express  the  relation  between 
the  cross  section  of  the  waterway  and  the  attainable  safe  speed  of  a 
given  ship  therein,  recorded  observations  serve  only  to  fix  one  or  two 
points  in  the  curve. 

This  being  the  situation,  it  was  thought  that  a  study  of  the  causes 
of  retardation  of  a  ship  when  passing  from  open  water  into  a  restricted 
channel  might  possibly  be  useful.  If  all  these  causes  could  be  stated 
and  evaluated,  the  result  would  be  a  correct  schedule  of  speeds  with 
which  recorded  observations  would  agree.  No  such  result,  however, 
is  attainable,  because  it  is  impracticable  either  to  make  a  complete 
statement  of  the  causes  of  retardation  or  to  evaluate  any  of  them  with 
precision.  The  scope  of  the  investigation  was  therefore  limited  to  an 
examination  of  the  principal  causes  of  retardation  and  to  an  approxi¬ 
mate  evaluation  of  them.  The  speed  curve  resulting  from  an  investi¬ 
gation  of  this  kind  will  have  little  value  unless  checked  at  some  point 
or  points  by  observation,  and  its  ultimate  value  depends  upon  the 
number  of  such  checks. 

DIMENSIONS  OF  WATERWAY. 

The  study  takes  up  the  two  types  of  waterway  on  which  the  Board 
is  required  to  report.  One  of  them  is  to  have  a  depth  of  30  feet  of 
water,  the  other  a  depth  of  21  feet.  The  standard  cross  sections  of 
these  channels  when  formed  in  earth  are  shown  on  figs.  2  and  3  of  the 
report  of  the  Board.  The  bottom  widths  shown  are  minima.  In  cer¬ 
tain  localities  greater  widths  are  required  by  condit  ions  which  will  not 
be  discussed  here.  The  practicable  speed  depends  so  much  on  the  area 
of  cross  section  of  the  waterway  that  this  discussion  embraces  neces¬ 
sarily  a  large  range  above  the  given  minima  and  includes  the  entire 
range  of  widths  laid  down  for  the  proposed  deep  waterway.  It  is 
confined  to  speeds  through  cross  sections  in  earth.  A  small  portion 
of  the  deep  waterway  is  in  rock  with  a  slightly  smaller  cross  section 
than  in  the  earth  section.  The  sides  of  the  rock  sections  are  to  be 
vertical,  which  will  make  navigation  safer  than  through  an  earth  sec¬ 
tion  of  equal  area.  The  aggregate  length  of  channel  in  rock  section 
is  relatively  small.  It  is  believed,  therefore,  that  the  introduction  of 
rock  channels  into  the  discussion  would  complicate  and  extend  it 
considerably  without  useful  result. 

The  area  of  the  minimum  or  “standard  ”  cross  section  in  earth  is 
about  8,000  square  feet  for  the  30-foot  channel,  corresponding  to  a 


218 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


bottom  width  of  203£  feet.  For  convenience,  the  bottom  width  is 
taken  at  203  feet,  making  the  exact  area  of  the  standard  cross  section 
for  the  30-foot  channel  7,990  square  feet.  The  area  of  the  minimum 
or  “standard”  cross  section  for  the  21-foot  channel  is  about  5,500 
square  feet,  corresponding  to  a  bottom  width  of  2lo\  feet.  For  con¬ 
venience,  the  bottom  width  is  taken  at  215  feet,  making  the  exact 
area  of  the  “  standard  ”  cross  section  for  the  21-foot  channel  5,497 
square  feet. 

TYPE  OF  SHIPS. 

.The  characteristics  of  the  type  ship  which  must  be  considered  here 
are  its  dimensions,  speed,  and  probable  character  of  its  business, 
whether  freight  exclusively  or  combined  passenger  and  freight.  A 
large  and  increasing  proportion  of  freight  across  the  North  Atlantic 
is  carried  in  ships  with  limited  passenger  accommodations  and  run¬ 
ning  at  speeds  of  16  to  18  statute  miles  per  hour.  A  route  including 
with  the  crossing  of  the  Atlantic  a  farther  distance  inland  of  1,300  to 
1,400  miles  would  probably  attract  few  passengers  for  the  inland  por¬ 
tion  and  accommodations  for  passengers  would  be  less  profitable. 
Furthermore,  only  a  small  portion  of  the  freight  carried  from  the 
lakes  to  tide  water  will  be  destined  for  export,  but  will  be  marketed 
and  consumed  in  the  Eastern  States.  Passenger  accommodations 
would  therefore  be  made  use  of  only  a  small  part  of  the  time.  It  is 
believed,  therefore,  that  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  commerce 
through  the  deep  waterway  will  be  carried  in  exclusively  freight  ships. 

As  to  the  economical  speed  of  freight  ships,  the  greater  part  of 
freight  transported  by  sea  is  carried  by  ships  running  10  to  13  statute 
miles  per  hour.  The  most  recent  freight  ships  built  on  the  lakes  have 
speeds  of  12  to  12£  miles  per  hour.  Although  these  facts  point  to  a 
speed  not  exceeding  13  miles  per  hour  as  the  economical  one,  they  are 
not  absolutely  conclusive,  and  it  seemed  necessary  to  study  the  effect 
on  cost  of  transportation  of  increased  speed.  To  this  end  estimates 
were  procured  from  the  well-known  naval  architect  and  shipbuilder, 
Mr.  F  rank  E.  Kirby,  of  the  cost  of  building  and  operating  ships  of 
different  dimensions  at  each  of  two  rates  of  speed,  viz,  12^  and  15 
statute  miles  per  hour.  These  estimates  are  given  and  discussed 
in  No.  5.  The  conclusion  is  clearly  shown  that  the  increase  of 
speed  would  add  largely  to  the  cost  of  transportation.  The  rate  of 
12^  statute  miles  per  hour  is  therefore  adopted  in  this  discussion. 

It  is  obvious  that  the  economical  dimensions  of  ships  must  vary  with 
their  draft.  For  this  reason  the  30  and  21  foot  channels  must  be 
considered  separately. 

Mr.  Kirby’s  estimates  cover  a  range  of  dimensions  from  480  feet  long 

overall  by  52  feet  beam,  to  550  feet  long  by  60  feet  beam,  all  of  27-foot 

\ 

draft.  The  lowest  transportation  cost  figure  while  the  ship  is  en  route 
from  the  head  of  the  lakes  to  the  seaboard  is  given  by  a  ship  500  feet 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


219 


long  by  54  feet  beam.  When  the  delay  at  terminals  is  taken  into 
account  the  result  is  not  changed.  I  lovvever,  the  cost  of  transportation 
increases  slowly  with  increase  of  ship  dimensions,  and  further  improve¬ 
ments  in  shipbuilding  are  likely  to  lead  to  greater  dimensions.  For 
this  reason  it  appears  judicious  to  take  for  the  30-foot  waterway  in 
this  discussion  a  ship  somewhat  larger  than  appears  economical  under 
present  conditions.  The  dimensions  taken  are  a  length  of  540  feet 
over  all  and  abeam  of  58  feet,  the  draft,  fully  loaded,  being  taken  at 
27  feet. 

For  the  21-foot,  channel  it  seems  best  to  adhere  closely  to  the  dimen¬ 
sions  of  the  largest  ships  yet  built.  As  the  full-load  draft  of  these 
ships  is  limited  to  about  20  feet,  the  difficulty  of  giving  them  sufficient 
strength  increases  rapidly  with  their  length,  and  the  limit  in  length  on 
the  present  draft,  is  generally  believed  to  have  been  reached;  the  beam 
may  admit  of  further  development.  The  type  ship  chosen  for  this 
discussion  is  of  the  largest  class — not  quite  so  long  as  the  longest.,  but 
of  the  greatest  beam  yet  adopted.  The  dimensions  are  480  feet  long 
over  all,  52  feet  beam,  and  19  feet  draft. 

The  dimensions  of  the  type  ships  and  other  particulars  relating  to 
them,  taken  from  Mr.  Kirby’s  estimates,  are  given  in  the  following 
table : 

Table  I. — Type  ships. 


Length  over  all . 

Beam . 

Draft  . . 

Coefficient  of  fineness. 

Displacement . 

Cargo  capacity. . 

Horsepower  of  engines 
Single  or  twin  screws. 


net  tons 
_ do . 


Ship  for 
30-foot 
waterway. 

Ship  for 
21-foot 
waterway. 

540 

480 

58 

52 

27 

19 

80 

80 

20.300 

11,700 

13, 080 

8, 600 

3,  200 

2.200 

Twin. 

Single. 

PRINCIPAL  CAUSES  OF  REDUCTION  OF  SPEED  OF  SHIPS  IN  RESTRICTED 

WATERWAYS. 

1.  The  speed  attained  by  a  ship  in  open  sea  will  be  reduced  in  a 
marked  degree  on  entering  shoal  water,  even  if  of  unlimited  width. 

2.  If  the  channel  is  restricted  laterally  as  well  as  in  depth,  the  water 
moves  back  past  the  ship  in  the  effort  to  maintain  a  uniform  level  in 
the  channel.  The  speed  of  the  ship  past  a  fixed  point  becomes  less 
than  its  speed  in  relation  to  the  water  through  which  it  moves. 

3.  The  piling  up  of  water  in  front  of  the  ship  and  the  lowering  of 
water  behind  it.  set  up  a  resistance  to  its  motion.  This  takes  place  to 
some  extent  in  open  sea.  This  discussion  is  concerned  only  with 
changes  of  condition  when  passing  from  open  sea  into  a  restricted 
channel. 


220 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


4.  The  speed  in  a  restricted  channel  must  be  limited  to  that  which 
will  not  cause  too  great  injury  to  the  side  slopes. 

5.  The  speed  must  not  be  great  enough  to  make  the  ship  unman¬ 
ageable. 

6.  The  speed  in  narrow  channels  must  be  reduced  when  meeting 
other  ships. 

7.  A  lower  rate  of  speed  will  be  required  in  curves  than  on  t  angents 
by  reason  of  the  greater  difficulty  of  steering  the  ship. 

As  already  stated,  some  of  these  conditions  can  only  be  discussed 
in  a  general  way  with  results  only  approximately  correct;  others  can 
be  evaluated  wholly  or  in  part  from  the  results  of  observation,  as  will 
appear  in  what  follows. 

(1)  Retardation  in  shoal  water. — This  depends  on  the  form  of  the 
ship,  so  much  so  that  the  design  of  ship  is  varied  with  regard  to 
the  depth  of  water  in  which  it  is  to  navigate.  Observations  made 
recently  on  the  freight  steamship  Angeline  in  the  deep  water  of  Lake 
Huron  and  the  shoal  water  of  Lake  St.  Clair  indicate  that  the  retarda¬ 
tion  is  about  18  per  cent.  The  depth  of  water  under  the  keel  was  about 
2  feet  10  inches,  no  allowance  being  made  for  the  settlement  of  a  ship 
in  the  water,  which  always  occurs  when  the  water  is  shoal.  The  log 
of  a  recent  trip  of  the  steamship  Senator ,  from  Detour  to  Detroit, 
shows  a  speed  of  12.2  miles  in  open  lake  and  about  16  per  cent  less 
in  the  shoal  water  of  Lake  St.  Clair.  The  depth  of  water  under  the 
ship’s  keel,  without  allowance  for  settlement,  was  about  2  feet.  These 
results  are  not  so  concordant  as  might  have  been  expected,  and  the 
need  of  further  observations  is  manifest.  The  estimated  reduction  of 
speed  of  the  Angeline  is  derived  by  adding  to  an  observed  reduction 
of  11  per  cent  in  the  speed  of  revolution  of  the  wheel  a  further  7  per 
cent  for  an  estimated  increase  of  slip.  In  the  case  of  the  Senator , 
the  time  was  observed  for  the  passage  across  Lake  Huron,  giving  an 
accurate  determination  for  speed  in  open  lake  and  for  the  passage 
from  the  foot  of  St.  Clair  Flats  Canal  to  Detroit.  The  latter  includes 
15  miles  of  shoal  water,  where  the  current  is  imperceptible,  and  8  miles 
at  the  foot  of  Lake  St.  Clair  and  in  Detroit  River,  where  the  water  is 
25  to  40  feet  deep  and  the  current  about  1.8  miles  per  hour. 

The  log  record  would  have  been  more  satisfactory  if  the  time  had 
also  been  taken  at  the  end  of  the  15  miles  of  shoal  water  in  Lake  St. 
Clair.  The  reduction  of  wheel  speed  of  the  Senator  was  about  the 
same  as  for  the  Angeline ,  and  it  is  therefore  probable  that  the  increase 
of  slip  of  wheel  of  the  latter  ship  was  overestimated  and  the  actual 
reduction  of  speed  on  entering  shoal  water  was  probably  less  than  18 
per  cent.  For  this  discussion,  however,  it  is  deemed  best  to  be  on  the 
safe  side,  and  the  reduction  of  speed  is  taken  at  20  per  cent.  On  this 
basis  the  speed  of  the  ship  will  be  reduced  from  124  miles  to  10  miles 
per  hour  on  entering  shoal  water.  It  should  be  noted  that  the  depth 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


221 


of  the  channel  for  the  lake  ship  is  assumed  to  be  2  feet  more  than  t  he 
draft  of  the  ship,  while  the  depth  of  channel  for  the  ocean  ship  is 
3  feet  more  than  its  draft.  Obviously,  the  excess  for  the  deeper- 
draft  ship  should  be  the  greater,  but  the  additional  1  foot  is  doubt¬ 
less  more  than  needed  to  equalize  the  conditions. 

In  designing  the  21-foot  waterway  it  was  found  that  in  the  lower 
portion  of  the  Mohawk  Valley,  where  a  slack-water  navigation  is 
intended,  a  deep  channel  will  be  cheaper  than  a  shallow  one.  This  led 
to  the  adoption  of  a  30-foot  channel  in  this  section  for  both  the  21-foot 
and  30-foot  navigation.  The  reduction  of  speed  sustained  by  a  ship 
drawing  1!)  feet  will  be  much  less  in  water  30  feet  deep  than  in  water 
21  feet  deep.  While  there  are  no  available  data  to  determine  what 
the  difference  will  be,  it  appears  safe  to  assume  that  the  reduction  of 
speed  of  a  ship  drawing  1!)  feet  will  not  be  more  than  10  per  cent  when 
passing  from  deep  lake  into  30  feet  of  water  of  unlimited  width.  If 
the  speed  is  12t  miles  per  hour  in  deep,  open  water,  its  speed  in  water 
30  feet  deep  will  be  on  this  basis  1 1^  miles  per  hour. 

These  reductions  of  speed  for  the  several  channels  and  type  ships 
appear  in  column  5  of  Tables  III,  IV,  and  V. 

(2)  Retardation  from  back  flow. — The  resistance  to  the  motion  of 
the  ship  due  to  the  friction  of  the  water  along  its  sides  must  depend 
directly  on  the  relative  movement  of  the  ship  and  water.  The  case 
is  analogous  to  that  of  a  ship  moving  against  a  river  or  tidal  current  ' 
in  a  large  waterway,  where  the  speed  of  the  ship  past  a  fixed  land 
point  is  less  than  the  speed  through  the  water,  the  difference  being 
practically  the  velocity  of  the  current.  In  a  restricted  waterway 
other  conditions  are  set  up,  which  will  be  discussed  further  on,  but 
the  direct  effect  of  the  back  flow  must  be  to  reduce  the  speed  of  the 
ship  past  a  fixed  land  point  by  an  amount  very  nearly  equal  to  the 
velocity  of  the  back  flow.  It  is  assumed  for  this  discussion  that  the 
retardation  is  exactly  equal  to  the  velocity  of  back  flow,  and  on  this 
basis  the  following  formulae  are  deduced: 

Let  A=area  of  the  cross  section  of  the  waterway. 

area  of  the  cross  section  of  the  ship  below  water  line. 


A 


Vj=speed  of  ship  past  a  fixed  land  point. 
V2=mean  velocity  of  back  flow. 

V  =  speed  of  ship  through  the  water. 


V2 

Vi 

v2 


a 

A —a 
=  V— V2 

a 


X  Vi 


Vi 

r  —  1 


V 


Then— 


r 


(1) 

(2) 

(3) 


222 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  reductions  of  speed  of  the  type  ships  in  the  several  channels 
of  the  deep  waterway  are  entered  in  column  7  of  Tables  III,  IV,  and 
V.  They  are  to  be  deducted  from  the  speed  of  the  same  ships  in 
shoal  water  of  unlimited  width. 

(3)  Retardation  from  end  resistance. — When  a  ship  moves  in  open 
sea,  the  water  is  raised  at  the  bow  and  depressed  at  the  stern.  This 
causes  a  pressure,  opposing  the  ship’s  motion  proportional  to  this 
difference  of  level.  In  a  channel  of  restricted  cross  section  this 
piling  up  of  water  ahead  and  depression  astern  of  the  ship  are  much 
increased.  We  are  not  here  concerned  with  the  amount  of  this  end 
resistance  in  open  sea;  it  answers  our  needs  for  the  discussion  if  we 
can  determine  how  much  greater  it  is  in  a  restricted  channel  than  in 
open  sea.  For  this  purpose  we  have  only  to  consider  those  conditions 
of  a  ship’s  motion  in  a  restricted  channel  which  differ  from  those  in 
open  sea. 

In  a  restricted  channel  the  moving  ship,  pushing  the  water  before 
it,  disturbs  the  equilibrium  of  the  water  in  the  channel  and  the  back 
flow  past  the  ship  tends  to  restore  it.  The  theoretical  head  required 
to  produce  and  maintain  this  back  flow  can  be  computed  readily. 
The  pressure  opposing  the  ship’s  motion  resulting  from  this  head  is 
due  solely  to  the  changed  conditions  when  the  ship  passes  from  open 
sea  into  the  restricted  channel,  and  is  therefore  pertinent  in  this 
discussion. 

Weisbach  gives  a  formula  for  determining  the  resistance  to  the 
motion  of  a  ship  through  water.  The  formula  is 

P=F  hy, 

in  which  h  is  the  head  due  to  the  speed  of  the  ship,  y  is  the  weight  of  a 
unit  of  volume  of  water,  F  is  a  constant  depending  on  the  form  of 
the  ship,  and  P  the  resulting  effective  resistance  per  unit  of  immersed 
cross  section  of  the  ship.  He  makes  F=0.12  to  0.20  for  river  steam¬ 
ers  and  0.05  to  0.10  for  large  ocean  ships.  The  ships  which  will  trav¬ 
erse  the  deep  waterway  will  probably  have  full  lines,  and  for  this  dis¬ 
cussion  F  is  taken  equal  to  one-sixth.  Taking  y  =  62-^  pounds  (the 
weight  of  a  cubic  foot  of  water),  the  total  resisting  pressure 

=  Pa  ==  -^ '  —  x  a = 1 0 . 42  h  a . (4) 

and  the  work  done  when  the  ship  moves  V:  miles  per  hour  is 


—  P. 


.  .  (5) 


To  determine  It,  let  V3=  velocity  of  back  flow  in  feet  per  second 
44 

=tjqV2;  7q  =  head  required  to  produce  V3;  and  /t2=liead  required 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


223 


to  maintain  V3  in  the  channel  formed  between  the  ship  and  the  sides 
and  bottom  of  the  waterway;  then — 


h  t  +  h2  —  h 

V2 

7*,=  -^ 

1  2g 

ho=  l  s 


(6) 


in  which  I  =  length  of  ship  and  s  =  slope  of  back  flow. 

From  the  ordinary  formula  for  velocity  of  flow  in  open  channels 


s._Zi 

s  -  o2r 


(7) 


in  which  R  =  hydraulic  radius  and  C  =  constant,  taken  in  this  case 
=  80. 

From  the  foregoing  the  horsepower  required  to  overcome  the  end 
resistance  is  easily  computed ;  subtracting  this  from  the  total  horse¬ 
power  of  the  ship’s  engines,  the  remainder  is  available  for  maintain¬ 
ing  the  speed  of  the  ship.  Applying  this  to  the  case  of  the  large-type 
ship  in  the  standard  30-foot  channel  (Table  III),  the  horsepower 
required  to  overcome  the  end  resistance  is  84.  Deducting  this  from 
the  assumed  engine  capacity  of  the  ship,  3,200  horsepower  (see  Table  I), 
the  remainder,  3,116  horsepower,  is  available  to  move  the  ship. 
Assuming  that  the  power  varies  as  the  cube  of  the  speed  (known  to 
be  nearly  correct),  and  obtaining  from  Table  III  the  approximate 
speed  of  this  ship  in  the  standard  30-foot  channel — 8.04  miles  per 
hour — the  following  proportion  may  be  written : 

3200  :  3116  :  :  (8.04)3  :  a*3  =  (7.97)3 


in  which  x= speed  after  allowing  for  end  resistance.  The  loss  of 
speed  on  this  account  is  therefore  less  than  0.1  foot  in  the  worst  case, 
and  no  correction  need  be  applied  on  account  of  end  resistance. 

(4)  Limit  of  speed  to  avoid  undue  injury  to  side  slopes  of  channel. — 
In  a  narrow  channel  it  maybe  necessary  to  restrict  speed  to  avoid  too 
destructive  action  on  the  channel  banks.  Some  degree  of  injury  is 
practically  imavoidable  and  is  to  be  met  by  a  maintenance  charge. 
On  the  Suez,  Amsterdam,  Kiel,  and  Manchester  canals  the  limit  of 
speed  is  fixed  with  reference  to  injury  to  banks.  The  following  data 
are  derived  from  these  canals  and  are  pertinent. 

Suez  Canal. — The  highest  speed  allowed  in  the  canal  sections  is 
variously  given  as  10  kilometers  (  =  5.4  knots=6.2  statute  miles)  and 
o  knots  (=5f  statute  miles)  per  hour.  The  former  is  probably  correct. 

The  cross  section  of  the  canal  before  the  enlargement  now  going  on 
was  about  3,700  square  feet,  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained  from  the 
data  at  hand.  The  largest  steamers  traversing  it  are  those  of  the 
Peninsular  and  Oriental  Company.  One  of  the  older  ships  of  this 
line,  which  probably  traversed  the  canal  before  the  enlargement,  had 


224 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


a  length  of  450  feet,  a  beam  of  52  feet,  and  a  draft  of  23  feet.  Apply¬ 
ing  formula  (1 ) 


Y,=—  ^  *  - —  ox  6.2=2.96  miles  per  hour 
3700— 52  x  25  =4. 34  feet  per  second 

as  the  velocity  of  back  flow  when  this  ship  traverses  the  canal  at  the 
highest  speed  permitted.  The  soil  is  a  sand  easily  moved,  and  the 
cost  of  maintenance  has  always  been  great.  The  channel  is  being 
enlarged  about  50  per  cent. 


Amsterdam  Canal. — The  original  cross  section  was  about  3,200 
square  feet  in  area.  It  has  been  widened  and  deepened  from  time  to 
time,  and  its  present  cross  section  is  not  far  from  4,000  square  feet. 
The  speed  permitted  is  9  kilometers  per  hour  (=5.6  statute  miles  per 
hour=8. 2  feet  per  second).  The  largest  boats  traversing  this  canal 
are  those  of  the  Holland-America  Line.  One  of  the  largest  of  these, 
the  Werkendam ,  is  39  feet-beam  and  23  feet-draft,  having  a  wet  section 


of  about  880  square  feet. 


These  data  give  V,= 


880 


4000-880 


X  8. 2= 2. 3 


feet  per  second.  The  slopes  are  sand  in  many  places. 

Kiel  Canal. — The  area  of  the  cross  section  is  about  4,100  square 
feet.  The  limit  of  speed  permitted  is  5.4  knots  =  6.2  statute  miles  per 
hour =9.1  feet  per  second.  The  chief  engineer  states  that  the  largest 
ships  make  only  4  knots  per  hour. 

Manchester  Canal. — The  area  of  cross  section  in  earth  is  about 
4,400  square  feet.  Ships  are  towed,  probably  on  account  of  the  sharp 
curves  at  Runcorn.  The  largest  ships,  having  a  cross  section  of  about 
1,200  square  feet,  giving  r= 3.7,  are  allowed  to  make  6  miles  per  hour 

1200  , 

(  --8.8  feet  per  second),  giving  ^3 =  4400^4200 X  ^.8  =  3. 3  feet  per  sec¬ 


ond.  The  banks  are  generally  firm  clay.  Smaller  boats  are  allowed 
greater  speed,  up  to  13  miles  per  hour.  At  these  high  speeds  much 
damage  is  done  to  the  slopes  near  the  water  line  by  wave  action. 

The  speed  of  back  flow  in  all  these  cases  is  at  times  much  greater 
than  just  stated  on  account  of  currents.  In  the  Suez  and  Manchester 
canals  the  currents  caused  by  tidal  action  exceed  3  miles  per  hour. 
A  ship  moving  against  the  current  will  be  forced  as  near  the  per¬ 
mitted  speed  as  the  power  of  the  engines  will  permit,  so  that  ships 
with  high  power  may  cause  a  back  flow  exceeding  the  calculated  one 
considerably.  The  St.  Clair  Flats  Canal  affords  an  example  of  this. 

The  observations  recently  made  there  showed  a  calculated  maxi¬ 
mum  for  V,  of  1.18  miles  per  hour,  to  which  is  to  be  added  the  normal 
current  velocity  of  1.7  miles,  making  a  total  velocity  of  2.89  miles  per 
hour,  or  4.2  feet  per  second. 

Much  stronger  currents  exist  in  the  vicinity  of  the  ships’  propel¬ 
lers.  They  erode  the  bottom  and  part  of  the  eroded  material  gradu¬ 
ally  works  toward  the  sides  of  the  channel,  filling  in  at  the  bottom 
of  each  side  slope.  This  action  is  often  noted,  but  its  duration  at 
any  point  is  so  short  that  it  is  not  of  great  practical  importance. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


225 


In  the  deep  waterway  there  will  be  no  tidal  action,  but  in  many 
places  where  streams  are  to  be  taken  into  the  channel  currents  will 
be  produced.  This  will  be  the  case  particularly  in  the  Mohawk  Val¬ 
ley,  where  a  slack-water  navigation  is  to  be  provided.  The  channel 
in  this  valley  has  been  designed  of  such  a  cross  section  that  only  very 
rare  floods,  occurring  not  oftener  than  once  in  twenty  or  thirty  years, 
will  create  a  current  of  as  much  as  4  feet  per  second.  While  it  is  not 
likely  that  the  channel  will  be  navigated  during  these  violent  floods, 
currents  exceeding  2  feet  per  second  will  occur  frequently. 

In  fixing  the  permissible  limit  of  velocity  of  back  flow  there  can  be 
no  safer  guide  than  experience.  On  the  foreign  ship  canals  the  back 
flow  has  been  found  excessive,  especially  at  Suez,  where  more  expe¬ 
rience  has  been  gained  than  elsewhere,  and  the  channel  is  being 
enlarged  to  reduce  it.  Giving  this  experience  due  weight,  and  remem¬ 
bering  that  the  river  currents  in  the  deep  waterways  will  produce 
currents  analogous  to  the  tidal  currents  in  the  Suez  and  Manchester 
canals,  it  seems  judicious  to  so  restrict  the  speed  of  the  type  ships 
that  the  calculated  back  flow  shall  not  exceed  3  feet  per  second. 
Currents  will  occasionally  increase  this. 

The  calculated  back  flow  in  the  several  channels  is  given  in  Tables 
III,  IV,  and  V,  in  column  7,  headed  “  Retardation  due  to  back  flow.” 
In  the  standard  section  of  the  30-foot  waterway  the  back  flow,  as 
given  in  Table  III,  is  1.90  miles  per  hour,  or  1.90 x  1.407  =2.88  feet 
per  second,  which  is  within  the  limit.  In  all  other  cases  the  velocity 
is  less.  This  means  that  the  type  ships,  having  engines  of  only  suf¬ 
ficient  power  to  propel  them  12^  miles  in  the  open  sea,  can  not  attain 
in  the  waterway  a  speed  sufficient  to  injure  the  banks  unless  cur¬ 
rents  exist  in  the  channel.  These  currents  will  usually  be  very 
slight.  Stronger  currents,  capable,  when  combined  with  back  flow,  of 
washing  the  banks,  will  be  of  short  duration. 

It  remains  to  be  seen  whether  ships  considerably  larger  than  the 
type  ships  would  cause  inadmissible  velocities.  A  ship  05  feet  by  27 
feet,  moving  in  a  30-foot  channel  of  203  feet  bottom  width  at  the  rate 
of  8  miles  per  hour,  will  produce  a  back  flow  of  3.3  feet  per  second. 
This  velocity,  occurring  rarely,  would  be  permissible.  A  ship  58  feet 
by  19  feet,  moving  in  a  21-foot  channel  of  215  feet  bottom  width  at 
the  rate  of  8  miles  per  hour,  will  produce  a  back  flow  of  2.9  feet  per 
second,  which  is  less  than  the  assumed  limit. 

(5)  Reduction  of  speed  on  account  of  increased  difficulty  of  steering 
a  ship  in  a  restricted  waterway. — It  is  difficult  to  evaluate  this  condi¬ 
tion.  Obviously  it  depends  much  on  the  ability  of  the  pilot  and  much 
on  the  model  of  the  ship.  It  is  more  likely  to  be  important  in  narrow 
channels  than  in  wide  ones  and  of  greater  importance  as  the  clear¬ 
ance  between  the  ship’s  bottom  and  the  bed  of  the  channel  decreases. 

The  ship  assumed  in  this  discussion  for  the  30-foot  waterway  has  a 
clearance  of  3  feet  between  the  ship’s  bottom  when  at  rest  and  the 
II.  Doc.  149 - 15 


226 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


bed  of  the  channel,  a  clearance  which  will  be  diminished  to  some 
extent  when  the  ship  moves.  This  clearance  is  rather  more  than 
is  usual  under  large  ships  in  canals.  In  the  21-foot  waterway  it  is 
assumed  that  the  clearance  under  the  ship  at  rest  will  be  2  feet,  which 
corresponds  more  nearly  with  observed  cases. 

Table  II,  which  follows,  gives  a  list  of  vessels  observed  recently  in 
the  St.  Clair  Flats  Canal.  It  includes  boats  of  a  carrying  capacity  of 
G,000  to  7,000  tons.  Several  of  the  larger  ones  were  loaded  to  within 
less  than  2  feet  of  the  bed  of  the  channel.  It  will  be  noted  that  the 
actual  speeds  are  generally  less  than  those  in  Tables  III,  IV,  and  V, 
although  a  few  are  about  the  same,  as,  for  example,  the  Northern 
Light,  a  freight  boat,  and  the  passenger  ship  Northland.  This  is  a 
crowded  waterway,  and  the  speeds  are  limited  by  regulation  to  8  miles 
per  hour,  a  limit  often  exceeded.  There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that 
this  limit  is  safe.  The  waterway  is  short,  and  there  is  little  time  to 
be  gained  by  a  higher  limit  of  speed;  if  it  were  longer,  permitting  an 
appreciable  saving  of  time  with  higher  speeds,  they  would  doubtless 
be  attempted. 

Table  II. — Sj>eeds  of  loaded  boats,  without  tows ,  in  St.  Clair  Flats  Canal,  in 

statute  miles  per  hour. 


[Section  of  canal  =  290  x  19.5  =  5.772  square  feet.  Deduct  for  shoal  water  near  piers,  say  72  square 
feet.  Net  cross-section  =  5.700  square  feet.  Current  in  channel,  1.71  miles  per  hour.] 


Ship. 

Gross 

ton¬ 

nage. 

Net 

ton¬ 

nage. 

Draft. 

Beam. 

Area  of  immersed 
cross  section. 

Ratio  of  cross  section 
of  ship  to  cross  sec¬ 
tion  of  channel. 

Speed  of  ship  cor¬ 
rected  for  current 
in  the  channel  ( V)J 

Back  flow. 

> 

© 

■±2 

ce 

© 

ft 

w. 

W ith  ( W)  or  against 
(A)  current. 

Fore. 

Aft. 

Ft. 

in. 

Ft. 

in. 

Sq.  ft. 

Miles. 

Fred  Mercur . 

1.224 

906 

15 

4 

15 

9 

35 

534 

1:10.7 

0.  48 

0. 67 

7.  15 

W. 

J.  N.  Glidden . 

1,322 

1,110 

10 

6 

10 

6 

35 

500 

1:10.2 

0. 02 

.  66 

0.68 

w. 

Topeka  . . 

1 . 370 

1,111 

10 

10 

16 

10 

36 

588 

1:  9.7 

6.56 

.  75 

7.31 

w. 

R.  P,  Fitzgerald _ 

1,081 

1.175 

17 

2 

17 

2 

38 

633 

1:  9.0 

9.41 

1.18 

10.59 

A. 

Oceanica . 

1,490 

1.241 

14 

6 

14 

0 

37 

518 

1:11.0 

5. 24 

.52 

5.  76 

W. 

Vulcan . , . 

1,759 

1.300 

17 

4 

17 

4 

38 

643 

1:  8.9 

6.31 

.80 

7.11 

W. 

Conemaugh . 

1,009 

1,453 

10 

0 

16 

0 

36 

558 

1:10.2 

5. 83 

.04 

0.47 

W. 

Lehigh  . . . 

1 , 704 

1.503 

15 

0 

15 

0 

36 

522 

1:10.9 

8.17 

.83 

9.011 

A. 

R.  E.  Schuck . 

1 ,  867 

1.523 

17 

0 

17 

0 

41 

676 

1:  8.4 

0. 89 

.82 

7.71 

W. 

F.  B .  Prince . 

2, 047 

1. 547 

14 

3 

14 

3 

42 

577 

1:  9.9 

0.00 

.  75 

7.41 

W. 

Joliet . . . 

1,921 

1,596 

17 

7 

17 

7 

38 

049 

1:  8.8 

8.54 

1.09 

9. 63 

w 

LaSalle...  . 

1.921 

1.590 

17 

5 

17 

5 

as 

643 

1:  8.9 

5.83 

.74 

6. 57 

w 

Majestic . 

1,985 

1,609 

10 

9 

17 

0 

40 

600 

1:  8.6 

8.04 

1.10 

9.80 

w. 

Mohawk _ 

2.357 

1,010 

15 

0 

15 

0 

41 

594 

1:  9.6 

8.80 

1.02 

9.  82 

w. 

City  of  London _ 

2, 005 

1, 075 

10 

8 

17 

9 

41 

683 

1:  8.3 

7. 63 

1.05 

8.  63 

A. 

Mahoning . 

2, 189 

1,704 

15 

0 

10 

0 

40 

620 

1:  9.2 

8.41 

1.03 

9.44 

w. 

Republic  . 

2,310 

1,877 

17 

6 

17 

0 

40 

680 

1:  8.4 

0.30 

.  86 

7.22 

w. 

North  Star . 

2,  470 

1, 885 

10 

0 

10 

0 

40 

020 

1:  9.2 

0.81 

.83 

7.04 

w. 

Northern  Light _ 

2.470 

1 , 885 

15 

4 

15 

4 

40 

597 

1:  9.5 

11.41 

1.35 

12.  70 

w. 

Onoko. . . . 

2. 104 

1.9:33 

10 

0 

10 

0 

38 

608 

1:  9.4 

0.34 

.  75 

7.09 

IV. 

Owego . 

2.011 

1.940 

10 

0 

17 

0 

41 

076 

1:  8.4 

7. 86 

1.00 

8.92 

w. 

Chemung  . . . . 

2,015 

1.943 

10 

0 

10 

0 

41 

035 

1:  9  (1 

7  62 

.95 

8  57 

A. 

Thomas  Mavtham. 

2. 329 

1.972 

17 

0 

17 

9 

41 

683 

1:  8.3 

5  16 

.71 

5  87 

W 

1  i'a-aba  . 

2,431 

1,992 

10 

5 

10 

5 

40 

637 

1:  9.0 

0.21 

.78 

6. 99 

A. 

Kearsanre 

3  092 

2  721 

17 

(J 

17 

6 

44 

74S 

r  7  6 

6  36 

97 

7  33 

\Y 

1  enobscot 

2  864 

17 

0 

17 

6 

44 

726 

1-78 

5  11 

w 

Senator  . 

4,048 

3,178 

17 

2 

17 

2 

45 

;  5 ( 1 

1:  7.0 

0.  70 

1.02 

7.72 

w. 

Presque  Tsle . 

4. 578 

3.570 

17 

8 

18 

0 

50 

875 

1:  0.5 

6  b! 

1.12 

7.25 

w. 

Crescent  City _ 

4.213 

3. 075 

17 

1 

17 

1 

48 

790 

1:  7.2 

7.  36 

1.18 

8. 54 

w. 

Passenger  boats: 

Northland . 

2. 339 

13 

14 

44 

612 

1:  9.3 

9  99 

1.20 

11  19 

w. 

Arundel  (fast- 

est  observed). 

257 

26 

15.41 

w. 

Idle  wild . 

284 

5 

8 

5  8 

26 

134 

1:42.5 

13. 02 

.31 

13.33 

w. 

Note. — Sis  inches  deducted  from  maximum  draft  in  calculating  crosssection  of  ships. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


227 


The  Suez  Canal  affords  a  precedent  even  more  pertinent.  In  the 
original  canal,  having  a  bottom  width  of  72  feet,  a  speed  of  G.2  statute 
miles  per  hour  was  fixed,  rather  with  regard  to  the  effect  of  wash  on 
the  channel  banks  than  to  safety  of  the  ship  itself.  If  it  were  not 
for  the  injurious  effects  of  wash  on  the  banks  a  higher  speed  limit 
would  probably  have  been  fixed.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  a  speed 
of  8  miles  per  hour  in  the  regular  channel  of  the  deep  waterway  is 
relatively  less  than  the  speed  permitted  in  the  narrow  channel  of  the 
Suez  Canal. 

In  the  300-foot  channels  excavated  in  open  water  in  the  St.  Marys 
River,  boats  formerly  ran  12  to  13  miles  per  hour.  This  is  a  crowded 
navigation,  the  number  of  boats  per  day  being  about  100.  Collisions 
were  frequent,  and  it  was  thought  necessary  to  establish  and  enforce 
rules  limiting  speeds  to  9  miles  per  hour. 

In  the  deep  waterway  the  speed  of  the  type  ship  in  the  30-foot 
channel  of  300-foot  bottom  width  would  be  10  — 1.44  =  8.56  miles  per 
hour  (see  Table  III)  and  in  the  21-foot  waterway  of  300-foot  bottom 
width  10  — 1.36  =  8.64  miles  per  hour  (Table  Y),  both  within  the 
limit  established  in  the  St.  Marys  River.  An  inquiry  addressed  to 
Mr.  Joseph  Ripley,  the  assistant  engineer  in  charge  of  the  St.  Marys 
River  and  St.  Marys  Falls  Canal,  elicited  the  following  reply,  extracted 
from  a  letter  dated  April  13,  1899: 

The  highest  permissible  speed  through  the  present  cuts  at  Little  Rapids  and 
Hay  La  .e  depends  on  number,  size,  and  draft  of  boats,  and  whether  single  or 
with  tows.  For  the  commerce  of  last  season,  which  averaged  nearly  110  boats 
per  day  for  that  part  of  the  river,  with  about  10  per  cent  of  them  over  400  feet  in 
length,  the  speed  should  not  exceed  9  miles  per  hour,  slowing  to  about  6  miles 
when  meeting  boats.  Under  the  above  conditions  there  were  two  collisions  in  the 
Little  Rapids  cut  last  season.  For  width  of  (300  feet,  with  earth  banks,  the  speed 
could  be  safely  increased  to  11  or  12  miles  per  hour,  checking  to  8  miles  when 
meeting  tows. 

The  channel  at  the  Little  Rapids,  to  which  Mr.  Ripley  refers,  has 
proved  troublesome  on  account  of  the  strong  current  through  it  and 
cross  currents  caused  by  escape  of  water  into  lateral  channels.  Cur¬ 
rents  as  strong  as  these  would  occur  in  the  deep  waterway  only  dur¬ 
ing  very  unusual  floods.  These  floods,  rare  as  they  are,  occur  almost 
without  exception  during  the  spring  break-up,  before  tiie  opening  of 
lake  navigation.  The  experience  at  the  Little  Rapids  does  not  apply 
to  the  movement  of  ships  in  slack  water  or  in  very  light  currents — 
the  latter  in  the  conditions  which  will  exist  in  the  deep  waterway — and 
under  such  conditions  the  examples  which  have  been  cited  support 
strongly  the  speeds  calculated  for  the  type  ships  in  their  respective 
waterways.  These  speeds  being  within  the  limit  of  successful  prac¬ 
tice  need  no  further  reduction. 

The  ship  of  19-foot  draft  in  the  30-foot  channel  will  have  at  least  10 
feet  of  water  under  its  keel  when  in  motion  in  the  waterway,  and  will 
steer  as  well,  practically,  as  in  open  sea. 


228 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  speeds  thus  far  discussed  refer  to  a  straight  channel,  with  no 
meeting  ships.  The}’  need  correction  for  reduced  speed  at  meeting 
points  and  on  curves. 

(G)  Reduction  of  speed  at  meeting  point's. — On  the  Suez,  the  Man¬ 
chester,  and  other  ship  canals,  when  two  large  ships  are  about  to  meet, 
one  ties  up  until  the  other  passes.  'This  will  not  be  necessary  in  the 
greatly  wider  deep  waterway.  The  speed  of  both  ships,  however,  will 
have  to  be  reduced  in  the  narrow  channels.  The  proper  speed  at  the 
meeting  point  will  depend  obviously  on  the  width  of  the  channel,  the 
greater  the  width  the  greater  the  permissible  speed  at  the  meeting 
point.  In  a  channel  600  feet  wide  no  reduction  of  speed  will  be  neces¬ 
sary.  In  the  300- foot  wide  channels  of  the  St.  Marys  River  a  reduc¬ 
tion  of  speed  of  from  !)  to  6  miles  per  hour  has  been  found  sufficient, 
but  in  most  places  the  channel  is  dredged  through  shoal  water,  and 
the  escape  of  the  water  laterally  from  the  channel  may  possibly  facili¬ 
tate  the  passing  of  ships.  While  it  has  not  been  proven  that  the 
movement  of  ships  is  thus  facilitated,  it  is  believed  some  weight 
should  lie  given  to  this  consideration.  It  will  be  assumed,  therefore, 
that  the  speed  would  be  reduced  one-lmlf  at  the  meeting  point  in  a 
channel  200  feet  wide  at  bottom.  In  wider  channels  the  reduction 
will  be  taken  as  diminishing  uniformlv  with  increase  of  bottom  width, 
becoming  zero  when  the  bottom  width  is  600  feet. 

It  would  seem  that  if  two  ships  of  19  feet  draft  should  meet  in  the 
30-foot  channel  of  the  regulated  Mohawk  a  greater  speed  at  meeting 
points  would  be  permissible.  This  is  certainly  true,  but  to  make  it 
available  it  would  be  necessary  to  have  different  •  regulations  for  dif- 
ferent  classes  of  ships,  which  would  be  objectionable.  The  same  law 
of  reduction  is,  therefore,  applied  in  this  case  as  in  the  others. 

In  order  to  measure  the  effect  of  delays  at  meeting  points  it  is 
necessary  to  assume  a  navigation  period  and  a  traffic.  For  the  pres¬ 
ent  discussion  the  number  of  days  of  navigation  per  year  will  be 
assumed  at  237.  In  calculating  the  amount  of  water  required  for  the 
supply  of  the  summit  level  it  was  assumed  that  the  annual  tonnage 
through  the  canal  would  be  25,000,000,  carried  in  8,333  ships,  giving 
35.2  ships  per  day,  or  1  in  41  minutes.  These  figures  are  for  the 
30-foot  waterway.  For  the  21 -foot  waterway  the  same  traffic  may  be 
assumed  to  be  carried  in  10,000  ships,  giving  42.2  ships  per  day,  or  1 
in  34  minutes.  The  maximum  delay  from  meetings  will  occur  if  all 
ships  are  met  singly,  and  if  this  is  assumed  the  resulting  delay  will  be 
greater  than  the  truth  and  on  the  safe  side.  The  number  of  ships 
assumed  is  also  on  the  safe  side,  because  it  represents  the  full  capacity 
of  the  canal  with  ships  averaging  3,000  and  2,500  tons,  respectively, 
in  the  two  channels.  The  full  capacity  is  not  likely  to  be  reached  at 
once  and  the  ships  will  probably  be  larger,  thus  reducing  the  number 
of  ships  and  number  of  meetings  for  the  assumed  annual  traffic. 

When  ships  are  approaching  a  meeting  point  they  will  begin  reduc- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


229 


ing  speed  when  some  distance  apart,  this  distance  depending  on  the 
speed  at  which  they  are  moving  and  the  reduced  speed  to  be  attained. 

In  order  to  ascertain  the  time  required  to  reduce  or  increase  speed 
an  informal  inquiry  was  made  of  Mr.  Ripley,  who  prepared  a  form  of 
report  as  a  circular  for  distribution  among  masters  of  vessels.  About 
ICO  of  these  reports  have  been  made  and  furnished  to  the  Board  by 
Mr.  Ripley.  From  these  reports  those  of  17  of  the  larger  boats,  carry¬ 
ing  loads  and  moving  singly  (without  tows),  have  been  used  to  deter¬ 
mine  the  rate  of  change  of  speed.  The  reports  show  both  time  and 
estimated  distance  required  to  attain  full  speed  from  a  stop  and  also 
to  stop  from  full  speed;  but  in  many  cases  the  ships’  wheels  were 
used  to  stop  speed,  which  would  generally  be  impracticable  in  a  nar¬ 
row  channel.  Rejecting  those  cases  where  the  use  of  the  wheel  was 
noted  or  was  obvious,  the  rate  of  reduction  of  speed  seems  to  be  about 
the  same  as  the  rate  of  increase.  For  the  reason  that  there  still 
remained  some  doubt  as  to  the  use  of  the  wheel  in  stopping  it  has 
seemed  best  to  base  the  rate  of  change  of  speed  wholly  on  the  records 
relating  to  increase  of  speed. 

As  might  be  expected,  the  estimates  of  time  and  distance  made  In¬ 
different  sailing  masters  vary  greatly.  Without  exact  observations 
it  is  not  easy  to  decide  when  a  ship  has  attained  full  speed.  It  is 
believed,  however,  that  a  sufficient  number  of  observations  have  been 
taken  to  eliminate  any  important  error. 

Taking  the  entire  set  of  17  observations,  the  average  rate  of  increase 
of  speed  from  stop  to  full  speed  is  1  mile  per  hour  while  the  ship 
traverses  440  feet.  As  the  time  was  also  noted,  the  mean  time  required 
for  an  increase  of  speed  of  1  mile  per  hour  is  found  to  be  nine-tenths 
of  a  minute.  In  this  interval  a  ship  moving  12  miles  per  hour — the 
average  full  speed  of  the  boats  observed — would  traverse  a  distance 
of  306  feet.  This  agrees  well  enough  with  the  former  determination. 

Rejecting  8  of  the  observations — tin*  lowest  four  and  the  highest 
four — the  remaining  0.  reduced  in  the  same  manner,  give  averages  of 
change  of  speed  of  1  mile  per  hour  in  350  and  336  feet,  respectively. 
This  result  is  probably  more  nearly  correct  than  the  former.  In  order 
to  be  on  the  safe  side  the  distance  of  400  feet  is  here  accepted  as 
required  for  a  change  of  speed  of  1  mile  per  hour. 

This  conclusion  is  based  on  the  assumption  that  the  change  of  speed 
varies  directly  with  the  distance  traversed.  It  may  seem  that  the 
higher  the  speed  the  greater  t lie  distance  to  be  traversed  for  an 
increase  of  1  mile  per  hour.  This  is  very  probably  the  case.  On  the 
other  hand,  when  the  engines  are  stopped  it  is  probable  that  the  rate 
diminishes  more  rapidly  at  first  than  after  the  speed  has  been  much 
reduced.  If  this  is  true,  the  two  variations  from  the  mean  tend  to 
offset  each  other,  and  the  average  distance  deduced  above  will  not  be 
much  in  error  for  the  entire  cycle  of  reduction  and  increase. 

In  order  to  produce  the  minimum  delay  at  a  meeting  point  the  ship’s 


230 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


engines  should  be  stopped  at  the  exact  moment  required  to  permit  the 
proper  reduction  of  speed  to  be  attained  when  the  bow  of  the  ship  is 
opposite  the  bow  of  the  meeting  ship.  The  engines  should  be  started 
at  full  speed  at  the  moment  when  the  ships  are  clear  and  not  before, 
or  when  each  ship  has  moved  its  length.  For  the  type  ship  in  the 
30-foot  channel  this  distance  is  550  feet.  It  will  not  be  practicable, 
however,  to  realize  this  ideal  movement.  The  pilot  will  not  be  able 
to  .judge  with  the  required  precision  either  the  distance  to  the  other 
boat  or  the  speed  of  his  own,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  required 
reduced  rate  will  be  attained  before  the  ships  meet.  As  a  basis  for 
calculation,  it  is  assumed  that  after  the  required  reduction  of  speed 
has  been  attained  the  ship  will  continue  under  check  at  this  rate  for 
a  distance  of  1,000  feet,  and  will  then  proceed  with  engines  at  full 
speed.  This  assumption  will  be  applied  to  both  type  ships.  The  cal¬ 
culations  are  made  in  the  following  manner: 

Required  the  delay  to  a  ship  in  the  standard  30-foot,  channel: 

The  full  speed  in  this  channel  is  8.04  miles  per  hour.  (See  Table 
III.)  The  reduction  of  speed  will  be 

600—203 

4x  8.04  X  (j(jQ_2Q0=3.99  miles  per  hour, 


and  the  minimum  speed  at  meeting  point  will  be  8.04—3.99  =  4.05 
miles  per  hour. 

The  speed  is  to  be  reduced  from  8.04  to  4.05  miles  per  hour  and  to  be 
maintained  at  this  rate  for  a  distance  of  1,000  feet  and  then  increased 


to  8.04  miles  per  hour. 

Feet. 

Distance  to  be  traversed  while  reducing  speed,  400x3.99 _ _  1, 590 

Distance  to  be  traversed  at  minimum  speed . . . . . .  1, 000 

Distance  to  be  traversed  while  increasing  speed  400x3.99 .  1,598 


Total.. . . . .  4, 192 

Minutes. 

Time  required  for  1,590  feet  at  4  (8.04+4.05)  miles  per  hour. . 3.00 

Time  required  for  1,000  feet  at  4.05  miles  per  hour . . . . 2.  81 

Time  required  for  1,590  feet  at  (8.04+4.00)  miles  per  hour... . . . 3. 00 


Total  . .  . . . . . .  8. 81 

Time  required  to  traverse  4,192  feet  at  8.04  miles  per  hour . . . .  5. 92 


Time  lost.. .  . . . .  2,  89 


This  loss  of  tiir^e  will  occur  at  each  meeting  in  the  given  channel. 
According  to  the  assumption,  meetings  will  occur  every  41  minutes. 

2.89 

The  loss  of  time  is  therefore  of  the  total.  The  distance  passed 

41  —  2.89  38.11 

over  by  the  ship  will  be — n - -rr- of  the  distance  it  would  move 

J  1  41  41 


w 


APPENDI  X  4.  FIG. 


Od 

CD 

lD 

a 

r-H 

o 

o 

p 

W 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


231 


in  41  minutes  if  there  were  no  meetings.  Its  mean  speed  is  therefore 
38.11  ,  , 

— ot  the  speed  it  would  have  if  there  were  no  meetings,  or 


8.04  x 


38.11 

41 


7.47 


miles  per  hour  =  average  speed  of  ship. 


In  this  manner  the  speeds  in  column  10  of  Table  III  have  been  cal¬ 
culated.  In  column  10  of  Table  TV  are  the  speeds  in  the  30-foot 
waterway  in  the  Mohawk  Valley  if  it  forms  part  of  a  21-foot  naviga¬ 
tion.  In  column  10  of  Table  V  are  the  speeds  in  the  21-foot  waterway. 
The  speeds  in  Tables  IV  and  V  are  calculated  in  precisely  the  same 
manner  as  in  Table  III,  except  that  meetings  for  the  21-foot  naviga¬ 
tion  are  taken  as  occurring  once  in  34  minutes  instead  of  once  in  41 
minutes.  These  are  the  average  speeds  on  tangents  and  require 
correction  on  curves. 

The  tabulated  speeds  in  column  10  of  the  tables  are  reproduced 
graphically  on  fig.  1,  where  the  abcissas  are  the  bottom  widths  of 
channel  and  the  ordinates  are  speeds. 


Table  III. — Speed,  in  statute  miles  per  hour ,  of  ship  5^0  feet  long  over  all,  58  feet 

beam,  27  feet  draft,  in  30-foot  channel. 


1 

Bottom 
width  of 
channel 

*> 

A 

3 

r 

4 

Speed 
of  ship 
in  open 
sea. 

5 

Loss  of 
speed 
on  en¬ 
tering 
shoal 
water. 

0 

Speed  in 
shoal 
water  of 
unlimit¬ 
ed  width. 

( 

Retarda¬ 
tion  due 
to  back 
flow  in 
restrict¬ 
ed  chan¬ 
nel.1 

8 

Full 

speed  on 
tan¬ 
gents. 

9 

Reduc¬ 
tion  of 
average 
speed 
caused 
by  meet¬ 
ings. 

10 

Average 
speed  of 
ship  on 
tan 
gents. 

CO 

£ 

7, 990 

5. 10 

12.5 

2.  5 

10 

1.90 

8.04 

0. 57 

7. 47 

210 

8,200 

5.  24: 

12.5 

2. 5 

10 

1.91 

8.09 

.54 

7. 55 

220 

8,500 

5.  43 

12  5 

2. 5 

10 

1.84 

8. 16 

.52 

7.04 

230 

8, 800 

5. 02 

12.5 

2. 5 

10 

1.78 

8.22 

.49 

7.  73 

240 

9,  loO 

5. 81 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

1.72 

8.28 

.47 

7.81 

2:50 

9.400 

6.00 

12.5 

2. 5 

10 

1.67 

8.33 

.44 

7.89 

200 

9. 700 

6.19 

12.5 

2.5 

10 

1.62 

8  38 

.41 

7.97 

280 

10,300 

6. 58 

12. 5 

2. 5 

10 

1.52 

8.48 

.37 

8. 11 

300 

10.900 

6.  90 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

1.  14 

8.56 

.33 

8.  23 

320 

11.500 

7.34 

12. 5 

2. 5 

111 

1.36 

8. 64 

.29 

8. 35 

340 

12,  100 

7.  73 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

1.29 

8.71 

.25 

8.  40 

300 

12,  700 

8.11 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

1.23 

8.77 

*>» 

8.  55 

380 

13, 300 

8.49 

12.5 

2. 5 

10 

1.  18 

8.82 

.19 

8.  03 

400 

13,900 

8. 88 

12.5 

2.5 

10 

1.13 

8.87 

.16 

8.  71 

420 

14.500 

9.20 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

1.08 

8.92 

.14 

8.  78 

440 

15,100 

9.64 

12.5 

2. 5 

10 

1.04 

8.96 

.11 

8.85 

400 

15, 700 

10. 03 

12.5 

2.5 

10 

1.00 

9. 00 

.09 

8.91 

470 

16,000 

10.22 

12.5 

2  5 

10 

.98 

9.02 

.08 

8.94 

600 

19, 900 

12.71 

12.5 

2.  5 

10 

.79 

9.21 

.00 

9.21 

800 

25, 900 

10. 54 

12.5 

2.5 

10 

.60 

9.40 

.00 

9.40 

1,000 

31, 900 

20.37 

12.5 

2. 5 

10 

.49 

9.51 

.00 

9.51 

1  Equals  velocity  of  back  flow. 


232 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Table  IV. — Sjieed,  in  statute  miles  per  hour,  of  ship  450  feet  long  over  all,  52  feet 

beam ,  ID  feet  draft,  in  30-foot  channel. 


1 

Bottom 
width  of 
channel. 

0 

A 

3 

r 

4 

Speed 
of  ship 
in  open 
sea. 

5 

Loss  of 
speed 
on  em 
tering 
shoai 
water. 

6 

Speed  in 
shoal 
water  of 
unlimit¬ 
ed  width. 

i 

Retarda¬ 
tion  due 
to  back 
flow  in 
restrict¬ 
ed  chan¬ 
nel.1 

8 

Full 
speed  on 
tan¬ 
gents. 

9 

Reduc¬ 
tion  of 
average 
speed 
caused 
by  meet¬ 
ings. 

10 

Average 
speed  of 
ship  on 
tan¬ 
gents. 

Feet. 

203 

7, 090 

8.09 

12.5 

1.25 

11.25 

1.39 

9.86 

0.  76 

9. 10 

210 

8. 200 

8. 30 

12.5 

1.25 

11.25 

1.  35 

9.90 

.73 

9. 17 

220 

8,600 

8.60 

12.5 

1.25 

11.25 

1.31 

9.94 

.70 

9.24 

230 

8, 800 

8.90 

12. 5 

1.25 

11.25 

1.26 

9.99 

.  66 

9  33 

240 

9, 100 

9.21 

12. 5 

1.25 

11.25 

1  22 

10. 03 

.63 

9.  40 

250 

9,400 

9.51 

12.5 

1.25 

11.25 

1.18 

10.  07 

.59 

9.48 

260 

9.700 

9. 82 

12. 5 

1.25 

11.25 

1. 15 

10. 10 

.56 

9.54 

280 

10,300 

10.42 

12. 5 

1.25 

11.25 

1.08 

10. 17 

.  49 

9.68 

300 

10, 900 

11.03 

12.5 

1.25 

11.25 

1.02 

10.23 

.44 

9.78 

320 

11.500 

11.64 

12. 5 

1.25 

11.25 

.97 

10. 28 

.39 

9.  89 

340 

12, 100 

12. 24 

12.5 

1.25 

11.25 

.92 

10.  as 

.34 

9.99 

360 

12.  700 

12. 85 

12. 5 

1.25 

11.25 

.88 

10. 37 

.30 

10.07 

380 

13,300 

13.  46 

12. 5 

1.25 

11.25 

.84 

10. 41 

.25 

10.16 

400 

13,900 

14.07 

12.5 

1.25 

11.25 

.80 

10.  45 

>>> 

10.23 

420 

14.500 

14.67 

12.  5 

1.25 

11.25 

.  77 

10.48 

.18 

10.30 

440 

15, 100 

15.28 

12.  5 

1.25 

11.25 

.74 

10. 51 

.  15 

10.36 

460 

15,700 

15.89 

12. 5 

1.25 

11.25 

.71 

10. 54 

.12 

10.42 

470 

16, 000 

16.19 

12.5 

1.25 

11.25 

.70 

10. 55 

.10 

10.  45 

600 

19,900 

20. 14 

12.  5 

1.25 

11.25 

.  56 

10. 69 

.00 

10.  69 

800 

25,900 

26. 21 

12.  5 

1.25 

11.25 

.43 

10.82 

.'JO 

10.  82 

1.000 

31,900 

32.29 

12.5 

1.25 

11.25 

.35 

10. 90 

.00 

10.  90 

1  Equals  velocity  of  back  flow. 


Table  V. — Speed,  in  statute  miles  per  hour,  of  ship  430  feet  long  over  all.  52  feet 

beam,  19  feet  draft,  in  21-foot  channel. 


1 

Bottom 
width  of 
channel. 

2 

A 

3 

r 

4 

Speed 
of  ship 
in  open 
sea. 

5 

Loss  of 
speed 
on  en¬ 
tering 
shoal 
water. 

6 

Speed  in 
shoal 
water  of 
unlimit¬ 
ed  width 

7 

Retarda¬ 
tion  due 
to  back 
flow  in 
restrict¬ 
ed  chan¬ 
nel.1 

8 

Full 

speed  on 
tan¬ 
gents. 

9 

Reduc¬ 
tion  of 
average 
speed 
caused 
by  meet¬ 
ings. 

10 

Average 
speed  of 
ship  on 
tan¬ 
gents. 

Feet. 

215 

5.497 

5. 54 

12.5 

2.5 

10 

1.81 

8.19 

0. 64 

7. 55 

220 

5,602 

5. 67 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

1.76 

8.24 

.63 

7.61 

2:10 

5,812 

5. 88 

12.5 

2.5 

10 

1.70 

8.30 

.60 

7.  70 

240 

6,  022 

6. 09 

12.5 

2. 5 

10 

1.64 

8.  36 

7.79 

250 

6,232 

6.31 

12.5 

2.5 

10 

1.58 

8.42 

.53 

7.89 

260 

6.442 

6.52 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

1.53 

8.47 

.50 

7.97 

280 

6. 862 

6. 94 

.  12.5 

2.5 

10 

1.44 

8.56 

.  45 

8.  11 

300 

7,282 

7.37 

12.  5 

2.5 

10 

1.36 

8. 64 

.40 

8  24 

320 

7. 702 

7.79 

12.5 

2.5 

10 

1.28 

8.72 

.35 

8.37 

340 

8. 122 

8.22 

12.  5 

2.5 

10 

1  22 

8.78 

.31 

8.47 

360 

8. 542 

8. 65 

12.  5 

2.5 

10 

1.16 

8.84 

.27 

8.  57 

380 

8. 962 

9.07 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

1.10 

8.90 

.23 

8.  67 

400 

9. 382 

9.  50 

12. 5 

2. 5 

10 

1.05 

8. 95 

.19 

8.  76 

420 

9.802 

9.92 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

1. 01 

8.99 

.16 

8.83 

44(1 

10,222 

10. 34 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

.97 

9.03 

.14 

8.89 

460 

10, 642 

10.  77 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

.93 

9. 07 

.11 

8.96 

470 

10,852 

10. 98 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

.91 

9. 09 

.10 

8.99 

600 

13,582 

13.  75 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

.73 

9. 27 

.  00 

9.27 

800 

17,782 

18. 00 

12. 5 

2.5 

10 

.56 

9.  44 

.00 

9.44 

1,000 

21 . 982 

22. 25 

12.5 

2.5 

10 

.45 

9. 55 

.00 

9.55 

1  Equals  velocity  of  back  flow. 


(7)  Reduction  of  speed  on  curves. — The  speed  of  the  ship  will  be 
less  on  curves  than  on  tangents,  because  the  steering  will  be  a  little 
more  difficult.  Some  compensation  is  made  for  this  in  designing  the 


I 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


233 


waterway  by  increasing  the  width  on  curves.  The  reduction  of  speed 
will  be  less  as  the  width  of  the  channel  increases.  The  speed  of  meet¬ 
ing  ships  may  also  be  reduced.  This  is  hardly  likely  to  be  the  case 
in  the  narrow  channels,  as  the  speed  already  allowed  for  is  barely 
sufficient  for  steerage  way,  but  in  the  wider  ones  the  reduction  of 
speed  on  curves  at  meeting  points  may  be  appreciable.  The  subject 
does  not  admit  of  analysis;  there  are  no  reliable  precedents,  and  t lie 
best  that  can  be  done  is  to  make  empirical  rules.  The  following  are 
proposed : 

First.  For  channels  of  standard  width,  reduce  the  speed  from  Tables 
III  IV,  and  V  by 

1.5  x  degree  of  curve. 

Second.  It  is  not  believed  that  any  reduction  of  speed  will  be 
required  in  channels  600  feet  wide.  For  intermediate  widths,  multi¬ 
ply  the  reduction  obtained  by  the  preceding  rule  by  the  ratio: 

600  —  Bottom  width  of  channel  in  question. 

600—  Bottom  width  of  standard  channel. 

SUMMARY. 

In  the  foregoing  discussion  two  type  ships  have  been  taken,  one  540 
feet  long,  58  feet  beam,  and  27  feet  draft;  the  other  480  feet  long,  52 
feet  beam,  and  19  feet  draft.  The  larger  ship  is  assumed  to  be  sea¬ 
going;  the  smaller  ship  is  assumed  to  navigate  t lie  lakes  and  deep 
waterways  to  tide  water,  and  both  are  to  have  a  speed  of  12.5  statute 
miles  per  hour  in  open  sea. 

The  discussion  then  takes  up  the  principal  causes  of  retardation 
when  a  ship  passes  from  open  sea  into  a  restricted  channel  and  treats 
them  singly,  making  use  of  recorded  observations  where  possible  and 
of  theoretical  discussion  where  observations  are  wanting. 

The  retardation  when  passing  from  deep  open  sea  to  shoal  water 
of  unlimited  width  is  determined  from  observations  in  Lake  Huron 
and  Lake  St.  Clair.  The  reduction  accepted  for  the  discussion  is 
somewhat  greater  than  that  observed,  and,  therefore,  is  on  the  safe 
side. 

The  retardation  due  to  back  flow  and  the  retardation  due  to  end 
resistance  are  treated  theoretically. 

The  relation  between  speed  of  ship  and  injurious  washing  of  slopes 
is  treated  theoretically,  and  the  results  checked  by  experience  on  sev¬ 
eral  artificial  waterways. 

At  this  point  the  difficulty  of  steering  a  ship  in  a  narrow  channel 
and  the  danger  of  grounding  on  the  side  slopes  is  taken  up  and  the 
conclusion  reached,  by  reference  to  experience  in  other  waterways, 
that  there  will  be  no  material  difficulty  in  this  respect  on  tangents  of 
the  deep  waterway. 

The  reduction  of  speed,  which  will  be  necessary  when  ships  meet, 


234 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


is  discussed  on  a  liberal  basis  of  reduction  of  speed,  and  the  time  lost 
is  determined  from  the  results  of  recent  observations  in  the  Great 
Lakes. 

The  reduction  of  speed  when  passing  from  a  tangent  to  a  curve 
depends  as  much  on  the  skill  or  timidity  of  the  pilot  as  on  anything 
else,  and  can  not  be  analyzed.  Observations  are  lacking,  and  a  purely 
arbitrary  assumption  is  made. 

The  theoretical  discussions  are  extremely  elementary  and  might  be 
developed.  It  is  not  believed,  however,  that  their  usefulness  for  the 
present  purpose  would  be  enhanced. 

VALUE  OF  THE  RESULTS. 

The  theoretical  portion  of  this  discussion  covers  so  large  a  part  of 
the  subject  and  is  necessarily  so  incomplete,  both  in  scope  and  treat¬ 
ment,  that  the  results  would  have  very  little  value  unless  checked  by 
observations.  An  examination  of  the  speed  curves  (fig.  1)  will  facili¬ 
tate  an  estimation  of  value  of  the  results,  and  it  will  be  advantageous 
to  study  each  curve  separately. 

First.  Ship  480  by  52  by  19  feet  draft  in  the  21-foot  channel.  A 
channel  1,000  feet  wide  is  obviously  the  equivalent  of  a  channel  of 
unlimited  width  as  regards  the  movement  of  a  ship.  The  Lake 
St.  Clair  observations  show  that  in  the  shallow  water  of  that  lake, 
where  the  depth  of  water  exceeded  by  about  24  feet  the  draft  of  the 
boat,  the  loss  of  speed  was  considerably  less  that  20  per  cent;  20  per 
cent  was  taken  for  this  discussion  to  be  on  the  safe  side.  The  theo¬ 
retical  determination  of  retardation  due  to  back  flow  gave  a  loss  of 
speed  due  to  the  narrowing  of  the  channel  to  1,000  feet  of  0.45  mile  per 
hour.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  this  is  excessive.  The  same  cal¬ 
culation  shows  a  loss  of  speed  of  0.73  mile  per  hour  when  the  channel  is 
narrowed  to  600  feet,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  allowance  is 
sufficient.  It  is  also  obvious  that  the  permissible  speed  will  be  reduced 
in  increasing  ratio  as  the  channel  is  narrowed,  and  therefore  the  curve 
should  be  convex  upward.  If,  however,  this  were  not  true,  and  the 
reduction  of  speed  varied  in  direct  ratio  to  decrease  in  width,  the  curve 
from  its  lowest  point  to,  say,  the  point  corresponding  with  a  channel 
width  of  600  feet  would  be  a  straight  line.  The  maximum  deviation 
of  this  straight  line  from  the  platted  curve  is  less  than  0.4  mile  per 
hour.  The  speed  for  a  bottom  width  of  300  feet  is  only  0.64  more  than 
the  speed  allowed  by  regulations  in  the  crowded  St.  Clair  Flats  Canal, 
and  is  much  less  than  frequently  attained  there.  This  curve,  then, 
being  checked  at  its  lowest  point  by  observation — being  shown  by 
observation  to  be  a  little  too  low  at  its  highest  point  and  having  a 
logical  direction  between  with  no  possibility  of  material  error — is 
entitled  to  confidence. 

Second.  Ship  480  by  52  by  19  feet  draft  in  the  30-foot  channel. 
The  difference  in  the  position  of  this  curve  and  the  preceding  one  is 
due  to  the  smaller  reduction  of  speed  for  limitation  of  channel  depth. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


235 


This  ship  would  have  11  feet  of  water  under  the  keel,  and  it  should 
suffer  little  reduction  of  speed  on  this  account.  The  value  taken,  10 
per  cent,  must  he  considerably  excessive.  With  such  a  depth  of  water 
under  the  keel  the  ship  would  steer  well.  The  lowest  point  of  this 
curve  is  not  so  well  connected  with  observations  as  the  preceding  one; 
but  it  may  be  remarked  that  in  the  Manchester  Canal,  which  has  a 
bottom  width  of  only  120  feet,  much  higher  speeds  are  permitted  and 
attained  by  light-draft  boats.  While  this  curve  is  not  as  thoroughly 
checked  by  observation  as  the  preceding  one,  it  is  believed  to  be 
trustworthy. 

Third.  Ship  540  by  58  by  27  feet  draft  in  the  30-foot  channel.  The 
relation  between  this  type  ship  and  its  channel  are  very  nearly  the 
same  as  the  relations  of  the  smaller  type  ship  to  the  21-foot  channel. 
The  reduction  of  speed  on  entering  shoal  water  of  unlimited  width  is 
taken  at  20  per  cent,  which  is  doubtless  somewhat  excessive.  The 
calculated  retardation  due  to  back  flow  in  a  channel  1,000  feet  wide 
at  bottom,  0.49  mile  per  hour,  is  doubtless  somewhat  excessive;  in  a 
channel  600  feet  wide,  the  calculated  retardation  is  0.79  mile  per 
hour,  which  is  doubtless  adequate.  In  a  channel  300  feet  wide,  the 
calculated  speed  is  8.56  miles  per  hour,  which  is  less  than  frequently 
attained  in  the  St.  Clair  Flats  Canal.  It  is  obvious  that  this  curve 
should  also  be  convex  upward.  Taking  the  portion  included  between 
abscissas  corresponding  to  bottom  width  of  203  and  600  feet,  the  maxi¬ 
mum  deviation  of  the  speed  curve  from  a  straight  line  is  less  than 
0.4  mile  per  hour-.  The  error  in  the  curve  must  be  less  than  this  if 
the  speeds  at  the  extremities  of  the  curve  are  correct.  The  curve 
agrees  well  with  the  speeds  permitted  in  the  Suez  Canal  after  allow¬ 
ing  for  the  difference  in  channel  width,  and  corresponds  so  closety  in 
form  to  the  curve  for  the  smaller  type  in  the  21-foot  waterway  that  it 
is  presented  with  considerable  confidence  in  its  correctness. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Alfred  Noble. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  5. — Part  1. 

COMPARISON  OF  WATERWAYS. 

The  value  to  commerce  of  any  waterway  from  the  Lakes  to  tide 
water  depends  upon  the  amount  and  nature  of  the  tonnage  it  is 
capable  of  passing,  the  speed  at  which  rest  ricted  portions  can  be  safely 
navigated,  the  sailing  time  between  terminals  for  ships  best  adapted 
to  its  use,  and  the  cost  per  ton-mile  for  transporting  freight  under 
normal  conditions. 

From  these  considerations  it  is  evident  that  from  both  economic 
and  engineering  points  of  view  the  importance  of  the  waterway  will 


DEEP  W  A  T  E  R  \V  AYS. 


23(5 


depend  upon  ils  depth,  ratio  of  cross  section  to  that  of  the  type  ship 
which  will  use  it,  the  stability  of  its  banks,  its  length  and  location, 
the  cost  to  construct,  operate,  and  maintain  it,  and  the  indirect  bene¬ 
fits  to  the  territorry  tributary  to  the  route. 

The  waterway  will  consist  of  two  distinct  divisions.  First,  the  lake 
waterways,  connecting  channels  and  harbors,  and,  second,  the  ship 
canal  from  the  Lakes  to  the  Atlantic. 

It  has  been  shown  elsewhere  that  the  dimensions  of  the  latter  should 
be  such  as  to  furnish  safe  and  easy  transit  for  the  type  of  ships  best 
adapted  for  the  waterways  connected,  from  which  it  is  evident  that 
whatever  depth  is  to  be  established  for  the  lake  harbors  and  water¬ 
ways  should  be  made  the  basis  of  the  design  for  any  canal  which  may 
be  constructed  to  connect  such  channels  with  the  seaboard. 

The  cost  to  carry  a  ton  of  freight  1  mile  in  the  lake  traffic  is  a 
function  of  the  original  cost  of  improvements,  annual  expenditures 
for  operation  and  maintenance,  and  of  the  speed,  carrying  capacity, 
fixed  charges,  and  daily  expenses  of  the  ship  in  which  transported. 

It  has  been  found  from  actual  experience  that  the  economical  carry¬ 
ing  capacity  of  ships  depends  upon  the  depths  of  harbors  and  chan¬ 
nels  to  be  used,  and  upon  the  speeds  at  which  the  waterways  are  to 
be  traversed. 

For  the  type  of  ships  best  adapted  for  lake  traffic,  speed  in  excess 
of  about  124-  statute  miles  per  hour  in  the  open  lake  involves  a  corre¬ 
sponding  decrease  in  freight  capacity,  or  an  increase  in  amount  of 
fuel  per  mile  run,  either  of  which  will  increase  the  rate  per  ton  mile 
of  the  freight  carried. 

The  economical  carrying  capacity  of  a  ship  increases  rapidly  with 
the  draft  which  the  waterways  will  allow,  and,  since  the  cost  of  chan¬ 
nel  and  harbor  improvements  increase  rapidly  with  the  depths  to  be 
maintained,  it  is  important  that  the  depth  of  lake  channels  be  deter¬ 
mined  at  which  the  cost  of  transportation  of  the  lake  freight  will  be  a 
minimum  for  ships  best  adapted  for  the  business  and  safe  navigation. 

The  depth  of  water  at  mean  stage  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Huron, 
through  Lake  St.  Clair,  and  at  the  head  of  Lake  Erie  is  from  20  to  21 
feet,  and,  therefore,  for  all  navigable  channels  over  21  feet  deep  the  cost 
per  foot  of  improvement  and  for  maintenance  will  l)e  greatly  in 
excess  of  that  for  waterways  of  less  depth.  The  conditions  at  the 
entrance  of  the  lake  harbors  are  such  as  to  produce  a  similar  effect  on 
cost  of  improvement  for  different  depths. 

The  cost  in  the  past  for  deepening  all  the  harbors  and  waterways  of 
the  lake  system  has  been  about  $5,000,000  per  foot  of  increase.  From 
the  best  available  data,  it  is  estimated  that  for  depths  between  21  and  30 
feet  the  cost  for  similar  improvement  will  be  about  $7,000,000  per 
foot. 

Assuming  that  the  Government  pays  3  per  cent  for  the  money 
expended  on  improvements,  and  one-half  of  1  per  cent  of  cost  for 
maintenance  of  improved  channels,  the  annual  increase  in  fixed 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


237 


charges  for  eacli  additional  foot  depth  of  waterways  would  be  approx¬ 
imately  -$175,000  for  channels  less  than  21  feet  deep,  and  $245,000  for 
channels  between  21  and  30  feet  deep. 

The  actual  freight  carried  on  the  lakes  in  1809  was  not  far  from 
40,000,000  tons,  making  the  average  increase  for  the  cost  per  ton  trans¬ 
ported,  $0.0044  and  $0.0061,  respectively,  for  fixed  charges  due  to  1  foot 
improvement  of  channels.  The  actual  average  rate  per  ton  charged 
for  freight  passing  Sanlt  Ste.  Marie  in  1899  was  $0.87,  from  which  it 
appears  that  the  cost  of  improving  the  harbors  and  channels  less  than 
21  feet  deep  will  increase  the  rate  of  transportation  one-half  of  1  per 
cent,  and  for  channels  between  21  and  30  feet  deep,  seven-tenths  of  1 
per  cent  for  each  foot  of  improvement. 

Ships  capable  of  steaming  124  statute  miles  per  hour  in  the  open 
lake  make  from  twenty-three  to  twenty-five  round  trips  between 
Buffalo  and  Duluth  during  an  average  season  of  navigation,  or  a  round 
trip  once  in  ten  days,  three  days  of  which  are  due  to  terminal  deten¬ 
tions. 

Referring  to  the  cost  and  running  expenses  of  type  carriers  best 
adapted  to  waterways  of  21  and  30  feet  depths,  given  in  table  on  page 
253,  and  assuming  that  these  steamers  make  the  same  number  of  round 
trips  per  season  in  the  respective  waterways  as  the  larger  ships  now  in 
the  service,  the  cost  per  ton-mile  for  transportation,  not  including 
sinking  fund  and  profit  to  shipowner,  would  be  0.350  mills  for  the 
21-foot  channel  and  0.338  mills  for  the  30-foot  channel,  from  which  it 
appears  that  the  decrease  in  cost  of  transportation,  due  to  increase 
of  draft  of  ship,  would  amount  to  about  one-third  of  1  per  cent  of  the 
transportation  rate  for  each  foot  increase,  indicating  that  for  the  type 
of  ship  considered  there  is  no  economy  in  improving  lake  channels 
where  21  feet  deep,  and  that,  with  the  depth  of  waterway  increased  to 
30  feet,  the  interest  on  cost  of  improvement,  with  annual  maintenance, 
would  be  at  least  twice  the  amount  that  would  be  saved  to  the  producer 
by  lower  rates  of  transportation  likely  to  result  from  deeper  channels. 

It  is  true  that  the  fixed  charges  arising  from  interest  on  the  cost  of 
construction,  with  annual  expense  for  operation  and  maintenance, 
are  paid  by  the  Government;  but  whether  paid  from  Government 
revenues  or  by  a  toll  on  traffic,  the  net  result  is  the  same. 

A  draft  of  19  feet  is  necessary  for  vessels  best  adapted  for  the  com¬ 
merce  and  safe  navigation  of  the  lakes,  and  since  the  free  movement 
of  ships  in  shallow  water  requires  at  least  2  feet  of  water  between  the 
keel  and  bottom  where  the  shallow  channel  is  of  considerable  length, 
it  appears  that  21  feet  is  about  the  least  depth  which  can  be  estab¬ 
lished  for  the  lake  waterways  consistent  with  securing  a  minimum 
rate  of  transportation  for  ships  best  adapted  for  the  lake  service. 

The  traffic  capacity  of  the  lake  system  of  waterways  is  practically 
unlimited  except  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  where  additional  locks  will  be 
needed  with  the  development  of  new  commerce. 

The  present  structures  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie  are  adapted  for  passing 


238 


DEEP  WATERWAYS.  ■ 


the  ships  which  will  navigate  the  lakes,  if  the  ultimate  depth  of  har¬ 
bors  and  waterways  be  fixed  at  21  feet,  and  it  is  probable  that,  with 
such  limit  definitely  fixed,  the  construction  of  ships  in  the  future 
would  be  adapted  to  the  conditions  and  their  dimensions  become 
more  uniform  than  at  present.  A  system  of  21 -foot  channels  can  be 
easily  completed  in  the  near  future  by  regulating  the  levels  of  Lake 
Erie  and  Lake  St.  Clair  above  the  present  mean  stage  and  improving 
the  St.  Marys  River  and  the  entrances  of  lake  harbors  to  correspond. 
If,  however,  a  greater  depth  than  21  feet  be  fixed  for  the  navigable 
channels  the  cost  will  be  enormously  increased,  a  long  time  will  be 
consumed  in  executing  the  work,  and  millions  of  dollars’  worth  of 
vessel  property  will  become  obsolete  by  being  forced  out  of  business 
by  larger  freight  carriers  as  the  depths  of  connecting  channels  are 
grad ually  i  ncreased. 

The  otie  thing  above  all  others  essential  for  securing  a  fixed  mini¬ 
mum  rate  of  transportation  on  the  Great  Lakes  is  to  have  the  final 
depth  to  be  given  waterways  definitely  fixed,  and  to  obtain  such 
depth  at  the  earliest  possible  date. 

From  an  engineering  point  of  view  it  is  also  essential  that  final 
dimensions  be  fixed  for  the  connecting  channels  of  the  lake  water¬ 
ways,  for  the  reason  that  each  additional  foot  of  depth  given  the 
channel  decreases  the  total  fall  between  the  lakes  and  diminishes  the 
depth  of  water  on  the  lower  miter  sills  of  the  locks  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
a  like  amount. 

If  there  is  no  economy  in  making  the  lake  channels  more  than  21 
feet  deep  for  domestic  traffic,  the  only  legitimate  reason  for  water¬ 
ways  for  more  than  that  depth  between  the  lakes  and  tide  water 
would  be  to  allow  the  best  types  of  ocean  freight  carriers  to  reach  the 
lake  ports.  For  this  purpose  it  would  be  necessary  to  make  only  the 
terminal  lake  harbors  30  feet  deep,  the  cost  of  which,  with  that  for 
deepening  the  connecting  channels  from  21  to  30  feet,  would  probably 
be  about  $50,000,000. 

A  30-foot  waterway  from  the  lakes  to  the  Atlantic  will  cost  approx¬ 
imately  $100,000,000  more  than  a  ship  canal  21  feet  deep,  and  there¬ 
fore  if  the  producers  of  the  United  States  are  to  be  benefited  by 
such  a  waterway  the  resulting  direct  and  indirect  annual  benefits 
must  exceed  the  difference  in  the  fixed  charges  of  the  two  routes  due 
to  interest  on  cost  of  construction  and  expenditures  for  maintenance 
and  operation,  which  will  amount  to  about  $5,000,000  a  year. 

The  capacity  of  these  waterways  has  been  estimated  at  about 
25,000,000  net  tons  per  year,  of  which  it  is  probable  that  less  than 
6,250,000  tons  would  be  foreign  commerce,  from  which  it  appears 
that  to  establish  30-foot  navigation  between  the  Atlantic  and  lake 
ports  for  foreign  commerce  will  cost  the  Government  about  80  cents 
for  every  ton  of  export  freight  transported  when  the  canal  is  utilized 
to  its  full  capacity. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


239 


It  is  true  that  increased  transportation  facilities  will  develop  new 
industries  and  new  commerce,  but  when  we  consider  that  it  will  be 
many  years  before  the  traffic  of  the  waterway  will  reach  25,000,000 
tons  annually  it  is  not  reasonable  to  expect  that  the  direct  and  indi¬ 
rect  benefits  arising  from  foreign  trade  of  one-fourth  this  amount 
through  a  30-foot  waterway  will  exceed  $5,000,000  the  returns  to  be 
obtained  with  a  21-foot  ship  canal,  even  if  all  foreign  commerce  be 
subject  to  transfer  delays  and  charges  at  New  York. 

The  maximum  capacity  of  a  30-foot  waterway  with  single  locks  740 
feet  long  and  80  feet  wide  is  but  little  greater  than  for  a  21-foot  canal 
with  smaller  locks,  for  the  reason  that  the  time  required  for  passing 
ships  through  locks  increases  with  the  dimensions  of  lock  chamber, 
and  while  a  larger  class  of  vessels  would  use  the  deeper  waterway,  the 
number  which  could  be  passed  during  the  navigation  season  would 
be  less. 

If  necessary  to  design  a  waterway  of  greater  capacity  than  the  two 
which  have  been  considered,  it  will  be  far  more  economical  to  dupli¬ 
cate  the  single  locks  of  the  21-foot  canal  than  to  increase  the  dimen¬ 
sions  of  canal  prism  to  allow  passage  of  ships  of  larger  size. 

If  the  locks  for  the  21-foot  waterways  should  be  given  larger  dimen¬ 
sions  than  required  for  the  type  carrier  boat  adopted  for  the  channel, 
for  the  purpose  of  developing  shipbuilding  industries  on  the  lakes, 
the  annual  traffic  capacity  would  be  decreased  and  the  relative  capac¬ 
ity  of  the  two  channels  become  more  nearly  proportional  to  the  ton¬ 
nage  of  the  ships  which  would  use  them. 

From  a  careful  study  of  the  economical  and  safe  speeds  of  ships  in 
restricted  waterways  it  is  found  that  the  cross  section  of  the  channel 
should  be  about  five  and  five-tenths  times  that  of  the  larger  ships  for 
which  designed,  which  ratio  has  been  used  in  fixing  the  dimensions 
of  the  prisms  of  the  waterways. 

The  dimensions  of  a  ship  canal  to  furnish  transportation  between 
terminals  at  a  minimum  rate  must  be  such  that  the  earning  capacity 
of  type  carriers  in  time  saved  by  greater  speed  in  canals  of  larger  sec¬ 
tion  will  be  less  than  the  amount  of  the  interest  on  difference  in  cost 
and  expense  of  maintenance,  and  greater  for  the  time  lost  by  slower 
speed  in  canals  of  smaller  section  than  the  amount  saved  in  fixed 
charges  for  interest  and  maintenance. 

For  the  class  of  vessels  which  maybe  expected  to  utilize  waterways 
21  and  30  feet  deep  between  the  lakes  and  tide  water,  the  areas  of 
the  cross  sections  of  canal  prisms  to  fulfill  the  above  conditions  would 
be  approximately  5,000  square  feet  in  rock  and  5,500  square  feet  in 
earth  for  the  21-foot  channel,  and  7,500  square  feet  in  rock  and  8,000 
square  feet  in  earth  for  the  30-foot  channel. 

The  prism  for  the  21 -foot  channel  adopted  by  the  Hoard  has  a 
bottom  width  of  215  feet,  making  the  area  of  cross  section  5,407 
square  feet,  and  corresponds  closely  with  that  of  the  St.  Clair  Flats 


240 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Canal,  through  which,  there  is  an  annual  traffic  of  over  30,000,000 
tons,  transported  in  steamers  and  barges  which  traverse  the  canal 
with  speeds  ranging  from  5  to  15  miles  per  hour.  The  Government 
regulations  require  that  steamers  shall  not  exceed  a  speed  of  8  miles 
per  hour  in  the  canal,  and  from  actual  observation  it  has  been  found 
that  the  larger  steamers,  without  tows,  maintain  speeds  of  from  7  to 
10  miles  per  hour,  depending  upon  whether  running  with  or  against 
the  current  of  1.71  miles  velocity  in  the  canal. 

In  view  of  the  great  number  of  vessels  traversing  the  canal,  its 
exposure  to  the  full  force  of  the  wind  from  all  directions,  its  short 
length,  and  the  danger  from  cross  currents  at  its  terminals,  it  is  desir¬ 
able  that  the  canal  should  be  made  at  least  000  feet  wide. 

The  canal  has  practically  the  same  surface  width  as  that  adopted 
for  the  standard  cross  section  of  the  21-foot  waterway,  but  as  the 
canal  is  excavated  between  piers  its  bottom  width  and  cross  section  are 
a  little  greater.  The  dimensions  of  prism  for  the  21-foot  waterway 
are  intended  for  locations  where  there  will  be  no  currents  in  the  chan¬ 
nel  of  sufficient  velocity  to  materially  interfere  with  navigation,  and 
in  rivers  where  such  currents  do  exist  estimates  have  been  made  for 
wider  channels. 

Referring  to  Tables  III  and  V  of  Appendix  No.  4,  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  type  ships  of  19  feet  and  27  feet  draft,  capable  of  steaming 
124  miles  per  hour  in  the  open  lake,  are  estimated  as  being  able  to 
maintain  7.55  miles  and  7.47  miles  per  hour,  respectively,  on  tangents 
in  waterways  21  and  30  feet  deep. 

These  speeds  are  based  upon  the  theory  of  retardation  of  ships 
by  shallow  water  and  restricted  waterways,  discussed  in  Appendix 
No.  4,  and  upon  the  actual  performance  of  the  larger  ships  of  the  lake 
fleet  in  the  Great  Lakes  and  connecting  waterways. 

The  average  round-trip  time  between  Duluth  and  Buffalo  of  the 
124-mile  steamers  in  the  lake  service  corresponds  almost  exactly  with 
that  resulting  from  computing  the  sailing  time  for  the  same  routes  by 
Table  V  of  Appendix  No.  4. 

A  careful  study  of  the  performance  of  the  vessels  of  the  lake  fleet 
in  the  St.  Clair  Canal  indicates  that,  except  at  times  of  heavy  winds, 
it  can  be  safely  navigated  at  a  speed  of  at  least  10  miles  per  hour,  and 
therefore  the  speed  of  7.55  miles  per  hour  adopted  for  tangents  on  the 
proposed  21-foot  ship  canal,  which  would  have  practically  the  same 
width  and  depth  as  the  St.  Clair  Canal,  is  certainly  safe  and  practical. 

'14ie  route  adopted  for  these  proposed  channels  through  the  lakes  is 
practically  the  same  as  that  now  in  use,  except  at  the  Limekiln  Cross¬ 
ing  of  the  Detroit  River,  and  between  Ilay  and  Mud  lakes,  on  the 
St.  Marys  River. 

The  Limekiln  Crossing  channels,  as  now  constructed,  have  sharp 
curves  and  are  dangerous  to  navigate,  and  should  be  straightened  and 
made  GOO  feet  wide.  The  estimates  submitted  with  this  report  are 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


241 


based  on  a  channel  600  feet  wide,  constructed  on  a  continuation  across 
the  reef  of  the  tangent  east  of  Bois  Blanc  Island,  as  shown  on  plates 
12  and  13. 

For  the  improvement  of  the  St.  Marys  River  the  estimates  are  for  a 
channel  600  feet  wide  through  the  West  Neebish  branch  of  the  river, 
which  makes  the  route  1.2  miles  shorter  than  the  present  route  and 
can  be  improved  for  the  required  dimensions  of  channel  for  less  cost 
than  on  the  route  now  used. 

From  an  engineering  point  of  view  the  change  is  desirable  on  account 
of  the  better  alignment  of  channel  which  can  be  made  and  better  oppor¬ 
tunity  to  execute  the  work  without  interference  from  passing  steamers. 

THE  NIAGARA  SHIP-CANAL  ROUTES. 

If,  taking  the  cost  of  construction  and  maintenance  into  account, 
the  commerce  tributary  to  the  lake  system  of  waterways  can  be  trans¬ 
ported  to  the  seaboard  more  economically  with  channels  improved  for 
a  minimum  depth  of  21  feet  than  if  made  30  feet  deep,  as  has  been 
shown  to  be  the  case  in  Appendix  No.  5,  part  2,  the  comparison  of 
waterways  between  the  lakes  and  the  Atlantic  is  reduced  to  the  con¬ 
sideration  of  the  different  21-foot  routes  which  have  been  investigated. 

A  careful  reconnoissance  made  by  the  Board  in  advance  of  the  field 
work  showed  that  only  two  of  the  routes  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake 
Ontario  were  worthy  of  investigation,  viz:  The  route  from  the  Niagara 
River  at  Tonawanda  to  Lake  Ontario  at  Olcott,  and  from  the  river  at 
Lasalle  to  Lewiston  and  thence  through  the  Niagara  River  to  the  lake. 

These  were  thoroughly  investigated  relative  to  volume  and  kind  of 
material  to  be  excavated,  nature  and  dimensions  of  structures  which 
will  be  needed,  and  character  of  foundations  on  which  such  structures 
will  have  to  be  erected. 

The  difficulties  to  be  overcome  on  the  two  routes  are  practically  the 
same,  and  the  real  comparative  merits  of  the  waterways  depend  largely 
upon  relative  cost  to  construct  and  maintain  them  and  the  difference 
in  time  required  by  a  type  steamship  to  traverse  the  respective  routes 
between  points  common  to  each. 

On  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  route  several  alternative  lines  were  exam¬ 
ined  to  determine  the  best  location  for  locking  down  the  escarpment 
near  Lockport.  The  line  down  the  so-called  “  Gulf,”  which  has  been 
followed  in  previous  surveys,  was  found  to  involve  the  construction 
of  a  high  dam  and  undesirable  alignment  of  the  waterway  at  locks 
and  approaches,  and  a  location  was  made  on  a  tangent  down  the 
escarpment  a  little  west  of  the  “Gulf,”  by  which  better  location  and 
foundations  can  be  had  for  lock  structures  at  less  expense  for  both 
excavation  and  construction. 

At  the  Lake  Ontario  end  of  the  canal  an  artificial  harbor  will  have 
to  be  const  ructed  by  build  ing  breakwaters  outside  of  the  entrance  and 
enlarging  the  mouth  of  Eighteen  Mile  Creek  for  a  distance  of  about  a 
II  Doc.  149 - 16 


242 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


mile  back  from  the  lake,  whereas  on  the  Lasalle-Lewiston  route  the 
Niagara  River  constitutes  one  of  the  most  capacious  and  safe  harbors 
on  the  lake  waterways. 

The  question  has  been  raised  as  to  the  advisability  of  constructing 
locks,  which  will  cost  several  million  dollars,  as  close  to  the  boundary 
between  the  United  States  and  Canada  as  will  be  the  case  at  the  Lew¬ 
iston  escarpment;  but  when  we  consider  the  important  lock  and  regu¬ 
lating  structures  which  will  be  needed  at  the  head  of  Niagara  River, 
the  deep  channels  already  excavated  in  Canadian  waters  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Detroit  River,  and  the  locks  and  canals  at  Sault  Ste  Marie,  it  is 
difficult  to  conceive,  if  the  Lewiston  location  is  objectionable  for  mili¬ 
tary  reasons,  why  similar  reasons  should  not  have  prevented  the 
improvement  of  the  entire  upper  lake  system  of  waterways. 

The  Lasalle-Lewiston  route  has  fewer  important  railroad  crossings 
than  the  Olcott  route,  and  does  not  interfere  with  manufacturing  and 
private  enterprises  to  the  extent  that  the  latter  does  in  the  vicinity 
of  Tonawanda. 

A  steamship  of  19  feet  draft,  capable  of  steaming  124  statute  miles 
per  hour  in  the  open  lake,  would  traverse  the  Lasalle-Lewiston  route 
from  t lie  proposed  Buffalo  regulating  works  to  the  junction  of  the 
two  routes  in  Lake  Ontario  in  nine  hours  and  fifty-eight  minutes, 
and  between  the  same  points  on  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  route  in 
eleven  hours  and  six  minutes — making  a  difference  of  one  hour  and 
eight  minutes,  or  over  11  per  cent  of  total  time  of  passage,  in  favor 
of  the  Lasalle-Lewiston  route. 

The  total  estimated  cost  of  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  route,  including 
regulating  works  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Erie,  is  $48,533,400,  and  for  the 
Lasalle-Lewiston  route,  $42,472,900 — making  an  estimated  saving  of 
$6,060,500  if  the  waterway  should  be  constructed  on  the  latter  route. 

From  an  engineering  and  financial  point  of  view,  and  from  the  less 
danger  of  delays  and  accidents  to  navigation  in  the  comparatively 
short  reach  of  restricted  waterway  on  the  Lewiston  line,  it  appears  to 
be  the  preferable  location  on  which  to  construct  a  ship  canal. 

WATERWAYS  FROM  LAKE  ONTARIO  TO  THE  ATLANTIC. 

The  routes  via  the  Oswego,  Mohawk,  and  Hudson  rivers  and  down 
the  St.  Lawrence  River,  Lake  Champlain,  and  Hudson  River  were 
the  only  ones  found  worthy  of  complete  surveys,  plans,  and  estimates. 

Consideration  was  given  to  lines  from  Big  Sodus  Bay  and  Little 
Sodus  Bay  to  the  Mohawk  line  near  Oneida  Lake,  but  preliminary 
estimates  indicated  beyond  question  that  these  routes  would  cost 
much  more  to  construct  and  would  take  much  longer  fora  steamer  to 
traverse  than  either  of  the  others,  and  were  not  considered  further 
by  the  Board. 

The  conditions  existing  on  the  two  routes  investigated  are  so 
radically  different  that  the  comparison  must  depend  more  upon 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


248 


the  conclusions  deduced  from  discussion  of  relative  advantages  in 
Appendix  No.  5,  Part  2,  than  upon  the  natural  features  of  the  sec¬ 
tions  through  which  the  lines  are  located.  In  the  project  by  the 
Oswego  and  Mohawk  rivers  it  is  proposed  to  lock  up  from  the  ele¬ 
vation  of  245.4  feet  at  Oswego  Harbor  to  379  feet  for  the  low-level 
plan,  and  416  feet  for  the  high-level  system  on  the  summit  between 
Oneida  Lake  and  the  Mohawk  river,  in  both  of  which  projects  the 
water  to  generate  power  for  operating  the  locks  and  for  locking  ships 
across  the  divide  must  be  secured  by  storage  in  reservoirs  located  on 
the  waterway  or  on  adjacent  watersheds. 

The  lockage  required  to  cross  the  divide  with  the  low-level  project 
will  be  267  feet  and  for  the  high-level  project  341  feet,  making  the 
route  expensive  to  construct  and  slow  to  navigate. 

The  route  down  the  St.  Lawrence  through  Lake  Champlain  and  the 
Hudson  River  is  a  down-grade  canal,  having  a  minimum  amount  of 
lockage  and  an  ample  supply  of  water  taken  directly  from  the  St. 
Lawrence  River,  but  has  the  disadvantage  of  being  partly  in  Canadian 
territory  and  about  208  miles  longer  than  the  Oswego-Mohawk  route. 

The  location  and  design  of  the  waterway  by  both  routes  have  been 
made  with  reference  to  interfering  the  least  possible  with  manufac¬ 
turing  interests  at  water-power  sites. 

On  the  Champlain  route  the  changes,  except  at  Fort  Miller,  will  be 
beneficial  to  the  water-power  interests,  but  on  the  Oswego  and 
Mohawk  a  rearrangement  of  several  of  the  power  plants  will  be  nec¬ 
essary.  At  Oswego  and  on  the  Mohawk  route  below  Schenectady  all 
interference  of  power  rights  has  been  avoided  by  locating  the  routes 
outside  of  the  river  valleys. 

On  the  Oswego-Mohawk  route,  the  low-summit-level  project,  utiliz¬ 
ing  Oneida  Lake  as  a  principal  storage  reservoir,  will  cost  about 
$1,678,100  more  than  the  liigh-summit-level  project  with  water  supply 
obtained  from  storage  reservoirs  in  the  valleys  of  the  Black  and  Sal¬ 
mon  rivers,  but  will  have  the  advantage  of  not  having  a  long  feeder 
line  to  maintain,  and  with  not  interfering  with  water-power  rights 
outside  of  the  waterway  location. 

The  only  grave  engineering  difficulty  to  be  overcome  in  connection 
with  the  low-level  plan  is  the  liability  of  landslides  in  the  deep  cut, 
which  in  places  is  through  soil  which  unless  thoroughly  drained  may 
have  a  tendency  to  slide. 

A  system  of  back  drainage  to  prevent  landslides  has  been  provided 
for  in  the  estimates,  and  in  the  opinion  of  the  writer  the  low-level 
plan  is  feasible  and  is  the  preferable  project  to  carry  out  in  case  the 
waterway  should  be  constructed. 

Probably  the  most  serious  difficulty  to  adjust  on  either  route,  if 
the  waterway  should  be  constructed,  will  be  to  make  satisfactory 
arrangements  for  railroad  crossings.  This  is  especially  the  case  in  the 


244 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Mohawk  Valley,  where  the  river  is  paralleled  by  the  four  tracks  of  t  he 
New  York  Central  and  the  two  tracks  of  the  West  Shore  railroads. 

Ample  provisions  have  been  made  in  estimates  for  either  swing  or 
bascule  bridges  for  all  crossings,  but  in  the  case  of  the  New  York 
Central  crossing,  the  number  of  trains  is  so  great  that  a  higli  grade 
crossing  on  a  long  embankment  or  an  embankment  and  trestle  may 
be  necessary. 

With  a  slight  readjustment  of  the  railroad  lines  in  the  vicinity  of 
Rome  only  one  such  high  viaduct  will  be  needed. 

The  substitute  location  of  line  adopted,  from  Schenectady  to  the 
Hudson  River  below  Albany,  involves  a  deep  cutting  at  South  Sche¬ 
nectady,  but  will  be  in  stable  soil  and  will  be  safe  construction. 

A  waterway  from  Schenectady  to  the  Hudson  via  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  would  involve  sharp  curves,  difficult  and  dangerous  river 
crossings,  and  with  damages  to  water-power  privileges  would  probably 
cost  over  $20,000,000  in  excess  of  the  line  located  down  the  Normans 
Kill. 

From  the  mouth  of  Normans  Kill  to  deep  water  in  the  lower  Hudson 
the  Champlain  and  the  Oswego-Mohawk  routes  have  a  common  location. 

The  following  table  gives  the  details  of  the  lengths  of  the  channels 
of  different  dimensions,  and  amount  of  lockage  on  the  two  routes 
between  Lake  Erie  and  New  York: 


BUFFALO  TO  NEW  YORK. 


Oswego-Mohawk 

route. 

Cham¬ 

plain 

route. 

High 

level. 

Low 

level. 

Total  distance . . . . . miles . . 

Fall, regulated  stage  of  Lake  Erie  to  mean  tide . feet.. 

Down  lockage. . . . . . do. . . 

Up  lockage . do... 

Total  lockage  . . do. . . 

Number  of  locks,  including  guard  locks . 

477. 04 
574. 5 

476. 94 
574. 5 

685. 21 
574. 5 

742.6 

170.6 

705. 6 

133.6 

547.2 

0.0 

913.2 

40 

1 

839.2 

38 

1 

547.2 

21 

2 

Number  of  guard  locks . . . 

Standard  canal . . . miles.. 

Canalized  river: 

200  to  250  feet  wide . do... 

102. 56 

102. 42 

102. 35 

1.51 

250  to  300  feet  wide . do  .. 

20.38 
12.37 
2.59 
13. 90 
8.99 
39. 15 
277. 10 

20.38 
12. 37 
2.  59 
13.90 
8.99 
37. 66 
278. 64 

300  to  350  feet  wide . . . ... . . . . do... 

350  to  41X1  feet  wide . . . do... 

38.97 

400  to 450  feet  wide . . . do... 

450  to  500  feet  wide.. . . . . . do. .. 

500  to  1,000  feet  wide  . . . do. .. 

Open  lake  and  river . . . do... 

Total.. . . . 

8.08 
11.59 
73. 65 
449. 06 

477.04 

476. 94 

685. 21 

It  will  be  noted  that  of  the  574.5  feet  fall  from  Lake  Erie  to  tide 
water  at  time  of  low  stage,  of  rivers,  572  feet  are  overcome  by  locks 
and  2.5  feet  by  river  slopes  on  the  Mohawk  route  and  547.2  feet  by 
locks  and  27.3  feet  by  river  slopes  on  the  Champlain  route.  At  times 
of  high  water  in  the  rivers  the  slopes  will  be  steeper  and  the  total  fall 
at  locks  less  than  at  low  stage. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


245 


The  Champlain  route  is  a  down-grade  canal  from  the  lakes  to  the 
seaboard,  and  while  the  large  amount  of  fall  in  the  St.  Lawrence 
River  causes  rapid  currents,  the  maximum  traffic  is  in  the  same  direc¬ 
tion,  and  therefore  is  subject  to  no  delay  from  this  condition. 

The  estimated  cost  of  these  routes  from  Lake  Erie  to  the  Atlantic 
are  as  follows: 

Champlain  route  . . . .  $183, 420,  000 

Oswego  Mohawk  route: 

High  level. . . . _ .  197,718.200 

Low  level . . . . . .  199. 396,  300 

A  study  of  the  length  of  the  ice  season  on  the  lakes  and  connecting- 
channels  indicates  that  open  navigation  can  be  maintained  on  the 
Champlain  route  230  days  and  via  the  Mohawk  route  245  days  for 
average  years. 

Referring  to  Table  II  of  Appendix  No.  5,  Part  2,  it  will  be  noted 
that  the  round  trip  from  New  York  to  Chicago,  including  terminal 
detentions,  will  take  sixteen  days  and  nine  hours  for  the  Champlain 
route  and  fifteen  days  and  eight  hours  for  the  Mohawk  route,  or,  for 
a  full  navigation  season,  a  steamship  capable  of  steaming  124  statute 
miles  per  hour  in  the  open  lake  would  be  able  to  make  fourteen  and 
sixteen  round  trips  in  the  respective  waterways.  That  is,  the  ship 
on  the  Mohawk  waterway  would  make  fifteen  round  trips  in  the  same 
time  that  fourteen  trips  on  the  Champlain  route  could  be  made,  while 
the  greater  length  of  season  on  the  Mohawk  route  permits  still  another 
round  trip. 

A  steamship  could  therefore  transport  freight  from  Chicago  to 
New  York  over  the  Oswego-Mohawk  route  for  93  per  cent  of  the  rate 
it  would  be  necessary  to  charge  on  the  Champlain  route  to  make  the 
same  annual  profit. 

Assuming  that  freight  can  be  transported  over  the  improved  water¬ 
way  between  New  York  and  Chicago  for  an  average  rate  of  $1  per  ton, 
the  saving  by  using  the  Mohawk  route,  with  an  annual  traffic  of 
20,000,000  tons,  would  amount  to  $1,400,000. 

If  the  more  expensive  low-level  Mohawk  waterway  should  be  con¬ 
structed,  the  first  cost  would  be  about  $15,975,700  in  excess  of  what  it 
would  cost  to  construct  the  Champlain  route.  If  3  per  cent  interest 
be  assumed  as  the  rate  paid  by  the  Government  for  the  money  used 
in  constructing  the  waterway,  the  saving  in  the  annual  fixed  charges 
due  to  the  difference  in  cost  of  the  waterways  would  be  $479,270  and 
for  the  difference  in  cost  of  operation  and  maintenance  $642,740, 
making  a  total  of  $1,122,010  in  favor  of  the  Champlain  route,  or  about 
80  per  cent  of  the  amount  which  would  be  saved  on  transportation 
rates  by  using  the  Mohawk  waterway.  For  any  greater  transporta¬ 
tion  rate  between  Chicago  and  New  York  than  $1  per  ton  the  compar¬ 
ative  economy  of  the  Mohawk  route  will  be  greater  and  for  any  lower 
rate  it  will  be  less  Steamers  operating  solely  in  the  lake  trade  and 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


246 


going-  out  of  commission  in  the  winter  season  would  make  two  more 
round  trips  per  year  on  the  Mohawk  waterway  than  could  be  made 
by  the  Champlain  route,  making  the  net  earning  capacity  of  steamer 
one-seventh  greater  for  Mohawk  route,  in  which  case,  if  the  volume 
of  traffic  over  the  proposed  waterway  should  exceed  8,000,000  tons 
annually,  the  saving  on  transportation  rates  by  using  the  Mohawk 
route  would  exceed  the  difference  in  fixed  charges  due  to  the  less  cost 
for  construction  and  maintenance  of  the  Champlain  route. 

The  estimated  cost  of  these  routes  has  been  based  upon  the  same 
standard  cross-section  and  unit  prices  for  similar  conditions,  the 
speeds  which  can  be  maintained  in  the  waterways  have  been  deducted 
in  a  similar  way  for  each  route,  and  the  rates  of  transportation 
between  terminals  determined  from  the  sailing  time  of  a  type  steamer 
as  deduced  from  the  actual  performance  of  similar  ships  in  the  lakes 
and  connecting  channels. 

It  is  therefore  evident  that  errors  which  may  have  been  introduced 
by  erroneous  assumptions  will  be  common  to  both  routes  and  will  not 
materially  affect  the  conclusions  deduced  from  the  comparisons. 

A  large  portion  of  the  commerce  which  will  be  transported  in  these 
waterways,  if  constructed,  will  be  for  domestic  consumption,  and 
must  necessarilv  be  delivered  at  the  home  market  where  needed,  and 
as  a  result  the  volume  of  export  commerce  with  lake  ports  will  follow 
the  same  transportation  lines  as  used  for  domestic  trade.  The  choice 
of  routes  should  therefore  be  made  with  reference  to  reaching  the 
New  York  market  and  the  ports  on  the  Atlantic  coast  accessible  by 
the  steamers  which  will  be  constructed  for  the  lake  and  seacoast  trade. 

M  any  of  the  South  Atlantic  ports  will  not  admit  ships  of  over  20 
feet  draft,  and  therefore  the  expenses  for  transfer  of  domestic  freight, 
if  carried  in  deep-draft  ships,  would  probably  be  fully  as  large  as  for 
transfer  of  export  traffic  through  the  canal  if  transported  in  vessels 
adapted  to  21-foot  channels  through  the  connecting  waterways  of  the 
Great  Lakes. 

From  a  careful  consideration  of  the  type  ship  best  adapted  for  car¬ 
rying  the  lake  commerce,  and  of  the  depth  of  channels  and  waterways 
of  the  lakes  and  from  the  lakes  to  the  Atlantic  required  for  such 
ships,  it  is  evident  that  the  proposed  21-foot  waterway  will  furnish 
better  returns  for  the  transportation  of  domestic  and  foreign  com¬ 
merce  than  can  be  obtained  by  constructing  a  waterway  30  feet  deep 
from  the  lake  ports  to  the  seaboard. 

A  careful  comparison  of  the  engineering  difficulties  to  be  overcome 
in  constructing  a  waterway  from  the  lakes  to  the  Atlantic  by  the 
Oswego-Mohawk  route  and  by  the  Champlain  route,  erf  the  cost  to 
construct  and  operate  them,  and  of  the  time  required  for  steamers 
adapted  to  the  lake  and  coast  trade  to  make  round  trips  between  ter¬ 
minals,  strongly  indicates  that  the  former  is  the  preferable  route  to 
adopt  if  the  waterway  is  to  be  built. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


247 


The  probability  of  extensive  shipbuilding  industries  being  devel¬ 
oped  on  the  Great  Lakes  by  the  construction  of  a  deep  waterway  to 
the  Atlantic  may  make  it  desirable  to  adopt  locks  80  feet  wide  for  pass¬ 
ing  war  ships  instead  of  00  feet  wide,  as  estimated  in  this  report. 

Such  construction  would  add  84,221,000  to  the  estimated  cost  of  the 
Mohawk  route  and  82,560,000  to  that  of  the  Champlain  route. 

The  annual  capacity  of  each  route  would  be  diminished  by  the  addi¬ 
tional  time  required  for  filling  and  emptying  locks  and  the  time  for 
round  trips  correspondingly  increased,  but  as  these  changes  would 
apply  to  both  routes  the  relative  comparison  of  the  two  waterways 
would  not  be  materially  changed.  The  changes  would,  however,  make 
the  comparison  between  the  21  and  30  foot  waterways  less  favorable 
to  the  former. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Geo.  Y.  Wisner. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  5. — Part  2. 

RELATIVE  ADVANTAGES  OF  THE  21  AND  30  FOOT  WATERWAYS. 

The  sundry  civil  act  of  July  1,  1898,  definitely  fixes  the  depths  of 
the  waterways  to  be  investigated  by  the  Board  at  21  and  30  feet 
respectively,  and  requires  a  statement  of  the  relative  advantages 
thereof.  The  following  investigation  has  been  made  to  determine,  as 
far  as  may  be  found  possible,  the  relative  advantages  of  the  two 
waterways. 

These  advantages  may  be  either  direct  or  indirect.  The  direct 
advantages  consist  of  the  relative  returns  in  value  received  for  the 
expenditures  incurred  in  the  construction,  maintenance,  and  oper¬ 
ation  of  the  two  waterways  respectively.  The  indirect  advantages 
arise  from  the  influence  of  the  waterways  upon  the  commerce  of  the 
country. 

RELATIVE  DIRECT  ADVANTAGES. 

In  order  to  investigate  the  relative  direct  advantages  of  the  water¬ 
ways,  it  is  desirable,  for  the  sake  of  clearness,  to  state  in  a  condensed 
form  certain  general  considerations  which  relate  to  all  lines  of  trans¬ 
portation. 

When  an  article  of  merchandise  is  transported  from  one  point  to 
another,  its  least  value  at  the  point  of  delivery  must  be  the  sum  of  its 
value  at  the  shipping  point  plus  the  cost  of  transportation;  otherwise 
the  transport  would  not  generally  be  effected.  If  v  represents  the 
difference  in  the  value  of  the  freight  unit  at  the  terminals,  Q  the 
total  number  of  freight  units  transported  in  a  given  period  (say,  one 
year),  and  K  the  total  cost  of  transportation  in  the  same  period, 


248 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


U  =  Qv  —  K  may  be  taken  as  an  approximate  measure  of  the  direct 
utility  of  the  transportation  line. 

The  cost  of  transportation  (Iv)  is  composed  of  two  parts,  (1)  the  toll 
or  charge  for  the  use  of  the  line,  and  (2)  the  transport  proper  or 
charge  for  carrying  the  freight  over  the  line.  It  is  necessary  to  dis¬ 
tinguish  between  these  two  charges  since  they  are  often  paid  to  differ¬ 
ent  parties. 

The  toll  consists  of  the  annual  interest  on  the  cost  of  constructing 
the  line  and  the  annual  cost  of  its  maintenance,  operation,  and  super¬ 
intendence.  This  charge  is  paid  by  the  users  to  the  proprietor  of  the 
line. 

The  transport  proper  consists  of  the  annual  interest  on  the  cost  of 
carriages,  the  annual  cost  of  their  maintenance,  depreciation,  and  oper¬ 
ation,  and  such  terminal  and  other  charges  as  may  attach  to  the  traffic. 
These  charges  are  paid  by  the  users  to  the  carrier. 

If  T  represents  the  toll  and  P  represents  the  transport  proper,  the 
equation  of  utility  becomes 

TJ  =  Qr  —  T  —  P . (1) 

In  this  equation  U  represents  the  amount  of  benefit  which  should 
be  annually  divided  between  the  parties  interested  in  the  traffic  after 
the  payment  of  toll  and  transportation  charges.  It  is,  however,  in 
some  cases  only  an  approximate  measure  of  utility,  for  it  is  based  on 
the  single  consideration  of  the  difference  between  terminal  value  and 
cost  of  transportation.  There  are,  however,  other  important  elements 
involved  in  the  determination  of  the  measure  of  utility.  The  speed 
and  regularity  with  which  the  transport  is  effected  are  often  impor¬ 
tant  elements  of  value,  and  the  capacity  of  the  line  for  transportation 
may  limit  the  volume  and  cost  of  the  traffic. 

If  Iw  represents  the  annual  interest  on  the  cost  of  constructing  the 
line;  Mw  the  annual  cost  of  its  maintenance  and  operation;  Im  the 
annual  interest  on  the  cost  of  carriages,  and  Mm  the  annual  cost  of 
maintenance,  depreciation,  and  operation  of  carriages,  including  all 
charges  connected  with  moving  the  traffic,  we  have — 

T  =  Iw  -f  Mw 

and — 

T  =  Im  4-  Mm 

and — 

U  =  Qv  —  Iw  —  Mw  —  Im  —  Mm . (2) 

It  will  be  observed  that,  in  the  general  case,  there  are  three  parties 
interested  in  the  transport  movement — the  carrier,  the  proprietor  of 
the  line,  and  the  shipper  and  receiver  using  the  line.  When  these 
parties  are  independent  their  interests  conflict  and  each  will  endeavor 
to  get  as  large  a  part  of  Qv  as  possible. 

The  carrier  must  receive  Mm,  otherwise  the  freight  will  not  be 
moved.  He  must  also  receive  a  fair  value  of  Im,  for  although  he 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


249 


might  move  the  freight  for  a  while  without  receiving  any  interest  on 
the  cost  of  his  carriages,  he  would  refuse  to  invest  money  in  new 
carriages  to  replace  those  which  were  worn  out  and  the  traffic  would 
soon  cease. 

The  proprietor  must  receive  Mw,  otherwise  he  will  cease  maintain¬ 
ing  and  operating  the  line.  He  need  not,  however,  receive  a  fair 
value  of  Iw,  for  having  invested  liis  money  in  the  line,  he  can  not 
remove  it,  and  it  will  pay  him  to  maintain  and  operate  the  line  as 
long  as  he  receives  Mw  and  a  very  small  value  for  Iw.  Indeed,  he  may 
continue  the  operation  of  the  line  without  receiving  any  value  for  Iw, 
in  the  hope  of  future  gains  under  more  favorable  traffic  conditions. 

The  users  or  general  public  will  employ  the  line  if  they  receive  a 
very  small  value  for  U,  so  that  it  is  to  the  interest  of  the  carrier  and 
proprietor  to  make  IT  as  small  as  possible  by  making  the  freight 
charges  as  heavy  as  the  traffic  will  bear.  But  the  total  amount 
received  depends  upon  the  volume  of  traffic  Q,  and  this  may  often  be 
increased  by  diminishing  the  transportation  charges.  It  is,  therefore, 
not  always  to  the  advantage  of  the  proprietor  and  carrier  to  impose 
high  charges  upon  the  traffic. 

This  distinction  between  toll  and  transport  proper  exists  in  all 
cases,  although  it  is  not  easy  to  separate  the  two  charges  where  the 
proprietor  and  carrier  are  one  and  the  same  party,  as  in  the  case  of  a 
railroad.  In  such  a  case  the  toll  is  simply  the  difference  between  the 
total  cost  of  transportation  and  tin*  cost  of  moving  the  freight  over 
the  line. 

When  the  three  parties  interested  in  the  traffic  movement  are  inde¬ 
pendent  of  each  other,  it  is  evident  that  after  each  has  received  a  rea¬ 
sonable  portion  of  the  proceeds  derived  from  the  traffic,  the  remaining 
part  of  U  should  be  divided  between  them.  The  proprietor  is  gener¬ 
ally  a  company,  the  shares  of  which  are  held  by  many  persons,  and 
the  carrier  often  represents  a  large  number  of  owners.  These  parties 
are  as  much  entitled  as  the  users  to  a  share  in  the  extra  earnings  of 
the  line.  In  dividing  these  extra  earnings  the  risk  of  loss  assumed  by 
each  party  should  be  taken  into  consideration.  Thus,  as  has  been 
before  remarked,  the  proprietor  can  not  withdraw  his  money  from  the 
line  even  if  the  traffic  fails  to  pay  him  any  returns  for  his  investment. 
He  should  therefore  receive  the  largest  proportional  share  of  the  extra 
earnings.  The  carrier  should  receive  the  next  largest  proportional 
share,  for  he  risks  the  interest  upon  the  value  of  his  plant  and  the 
cost  of  operating  it,  which  may  turn  out  to  be  greater  than  the  amount 
received  for  transportation.  So  long  as  the  charge  for  transport 
proper  does  not  fluctuate,  the  user  runs  no  risk  from  the  use  of  the 
line  and  therefore  should  receive  the  smallest  proportional  part  of  the 
extra  earnings. 

When  the  Government  is  the  proprietor  of  the  line,  the  user  (or 
general  public),  the  proprietor,  and  the  carrier  become  one  and  the 


250 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


same  party  so  far  as  the  cost  <>f  construction,  operation,  and  main¬ 
tenance  of  the  line  is  concerned,  and  if  the  charges  for  transport 
proper  can  he  restricted  within  reasonable  limits  the  toll  may  be 
abolished  as  a  direct  charge  upon  the  traffic,  since  it  will  be  recovered 
by  the  people  in  the  increased  value  of  U.  Moreover,  as  will  be  ex¬ 
plained  hereafter,  the  indirect  benefits  expected  from  the  establish¬ 
ment  of  the  line  may  fully  justify  the  assumption  of  the  toll  by  the 
Government.  In  the  case  of  a  line  where  the  •carrying  business  is  a 
monopoly  (such  as  a  railroad),  the  tendency  would  be  for  the  carrier 
to  take  as  much  as  possible  of  the  benefit  resulting  from  the  abolition 
of  the  toll.  In  the  case  of  a  line  open  to  the  competition  of  all  car¬ 
riers  (like  a  great  national  waterway),  the  law  that  where  there  is 
free  competition  the  charges  for  transportation  must  closely  approx¬ 
imate  the  net  cost  will  operate.  This  is  one  reason  why  it  may  some¬ 
times  be  an  economical  advantage  for  the  Government  to  assume  the 
cost  of  construction,  maintenance,  and  operation  of  a  waterway, 
while  it  would  not  generally  be  an  advantage  to  the  public  in  the  case 
of  a  railroad  unless  the  Government  also  conducted  the  business  of 
carrier. 

The  special  problem  which  we  are  required  to  consider  consists  in 
the  determination  of  the  relative  advantages  of  two  lines  of  water 
transportation  of  different  depths  extending  from  Lake  Superior  and 
Lake  Michigan  to  the  Atlantic  tide  waters.  The  line  adopted  will 
compete  with  the  railroads  for  freight  transportation  over  a  large  part 
of  the  distance.  Where  the  cost  of  transportation  is  relatively  large, 
in  comparison  with  the  value  of  the  transported  commodity  at  the  start¬ 
ing  point,  speed  will  generally  be  of  less  value  than  cost  of  transport, 
and  the  traffic  will  generally  be  by  the  cheaper  line  without  regard  to 
time.  If  the  Government  assumes  the  toll,  as  is  proposed  in  the  cases 
considered,  the  cost  of  transportation  will  be  much  less  over  the 
waterway  than  over  the  railroad,  but  the  railroad  will  generally  have 
the  advantage  of  speed.  Hence  we  may  make  the  following  assump¬ 
tions  : 

1.  The  toll  on  the  waterway  is  to  be  assumed  by  the  Government. 

i’.  The  traffic  will  consist  of  the  movement  of  bulky  freight,  the  cost 
of  the  transportation  of  which  is  relatively  large  in  comparison  with 
its  value  at  the  starting  point.  In  the  comparisons  to  be  made  it  will 
be  unnecessary  to  consider  speed  as  a  direct  element  of  value.  Indi¬ 
rectly,  however,  it  is  an  element  of  importance  in  the  determination 
of  the  unit  cost  of  transportation. 

For  this  case  equation  (1)  becomes 

U  =  Qi> — P  ........  (3) 

If  U  ,  Q  ,  and  P  represent  the  values  of  U,  Q,  and  P  for  a  second 
waterway,  we  have 


U'  =  Q'c  —  P' 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


251 


If  p  and  p'  represent  the  average  cost  of  moving  the  freight  unit 
over  the  two  lines  respectively,  we  have 


and 

and 


P  =  Q p  and  P'  =  Q 'p' 

U  =  Q  (v-p),  TT'  =  Q'  ( v-p ') 


IT  and  U'  are  the  annual  values  returned  to  the  people  in  compen¬ 
sation  for  the  assumption  of  the  toll  by  the  Government.  If  C  and  C' 
represent  the  cost  of  construction  of  the  two  waterways  respectively 
and  R  and  R'  the  annual  returns  upon  $100  expended  in  construc¬ 
tion,  after  the  payment  of  the  costs  of  maintenance,  operation,  and 
transport  proper,  in  the  two  cases  compared,  we  obtain 


and 


U  =  CR  +  Mv 
100 


rj'T?' 

U'  =  P-^  +  M\ 
100 


The  values  of  R  and  R'  are  measures  of  the  relative  direct  benefits 
derived  by  the  public  in  the  two  cases.  Substituting  these  values  in 
equation  5,  we  obtain 


R  + 


100  Q' 
Cr  Q 


( v  ~P 

\v-p 


) 


51 


100 

TV 


51  v 


(6)* 


By  substituting  the  values  of  IT  and  P  in  equation  3  we  obtain 


R 


100 

c 


[Q  (v — p)  —  5IW] 


R' 

If  Ry  =— ^  ,  equation  G  may  be  written 

T3 QYv — p'\  fC  100  5IW\  100  51  w 

'  Q  \v  -p  J  VC'  +  C'  R  J  r  R 


(7) 


THE  WATERWAYS. 


The  waterways  to  be  compared  will  be  about  equally  well  adapted 
to  navigation  by  small  vessels  engaged  in  way  traffic.  The  determi- 


*The  value  of  R  may  also  be  placed  under  the  followin 
_Q'  U  n,  A  ,  100 

Q 


R  = 


C' 


form : 

Q  (p-p  ) 


This  form  exhibits  very  clearly  the  influence  of  the  various  elements  of  the 
problem  upon  the  value  of  R'.  Thus  the  first  term  of  the  second  member  depends 
principally  upon  the  traffic  capacities  of  the  waterways  per  unit  cost  of  construc¬ 
tion,  the  second  term  upon  costs  of  maintenance,  and  the  third  term  upon  costs 
of  transport  proper.  It  is  not  so  well  adapted  to  numerical  discussion  as  equation 
8,  since  it  requires  the  assumption  of  a  separate  value  of  b>  in  the  third  term  for 
each  waterway. 


252 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


nation  of  relative  direct  benefit  will  therefore  be  limited  to  the  con¬ 
sideration  of  through  traffic  conducted  in  the  most  economical  carriers. 

The  waterways  have  two  main  branches  of  through  traffic  extend¬ 
ing  from  the  head  of  Lake  Superior  and  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan  to 
New  York.  These  will  be  considered  separately  and  their  terminals 
will  be  assumed  to  be  at  Duluth  and  New  York  and  at  Chicago  and 
New  York,  respectively.  The  ocean  line  may  be  left  out  of  consider¬ 
ation  in  the  comparison,  since  the  same  class  of  carriers  is  assumed  to 
affect  the  transport  over  it  in  all  cases.  Part  of  the  traffic  will  be  to 
domestic  markets,  some  of  which  will  be  at  the  coast  ports,  and  part 
of  it  will  be  to  foreign  markets.  For  each  line  the  comparison  will 
therefore  be  made  for  two  separate  cases,  viz,  (1)  for  domestic  mar¬ 
kets  and  (2)  for  foreign  markets. 

The  investigations  of  the  Board  show  that  for  both  waterways  the 
most  favorable  route  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  is  via  Lasalle, 
Lewiston,  and  the  Niagara  River.  This  route  is  therefore  adopted  as 
part  of  every  line  investigated. 

The  routes  from  Duluth  and  Chicago  to  New  York,  which  will  be 
compared,  are  as  follows: 

1.  Thirty-foot  waterway  via  Lasalle,  Lewiston,  St.  Lawrence  River, 
and  Lake  Champlain. 

2.  Tliirty-foot  waterway  via  Lasalle,  Lewiston,  and  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  high-level  plan. 

3.  Thirty-foot  waterway  via  Lasalle,  Lewiston,  and  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  low-level  plan. 

4.  Twenty-one  foot  waterway  via  Lasalle,  Lewiston,  St.  Lawrence 
River,  and  Lake  Champlain. 

o.  Twenty-one  foot  waterway  via  Lasalle,  Lewiston,  and  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  high-level  plan. 

<>.  Twenty-one  foot  waterway  via  Lasalle,  Lewiston,  and  the  Mohawk 
Valley,  low-level  plan. 

THE  TYPE  CARRIERS. 

The  characteristic  feature  of  the  waterway  having  a  depth  of  21  feet 
is  that  it  can  be  navigated  by  lake  vessels,  so  that  freight  does  not 
have  to  be  transferred  to  other  carriers  in  passing  from  lake  to  canal 
or  from  canal  to  lake.  The  depth,  however,  will  not  be  sufficient  for 
navigation  by  vessels  of  the  most  economical  type  to  cross  the  ocean, 
and  it  is  therefore  assumed  that  freight  destined  for  ports  beyond  sea 
will  have  to  be  transferred  to  other  carriers  at  the  seaboard.  For 
reasons  which  will  be  given  elsewhere,  it  is  assumed  that  the  type  car¬ 
rier  adopted  for  this  waterway  will  be  adapted  not  only  to  lake  and 
canal  traffic,  but  also  to  economical  navigation  along  the  coasts  of 
North  and  South  America. 

rI  he  characteristic  feature  of  the  waterway  having  a  depth  of  30 
feet  is  that  it  can  be  navigated  by  both  lake  and  ocean-crossing  vessels, 
and  so  transference  of  freight  will  not  be  required. 

The  traffic  on  either  waterway  will  consist  principally  of  the  move- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


253 


ment  of  bulky  freight,  such  as  grain,  coal,  lumber,  and  ores,  to  domes¬ 
tic  and  coast  markets  or  to  markets  beyond  the  sea.  Probably  this 
freight  will  be  carried  for  a  time  in  a  great  variety  of  vessels,  but 
there  will  be  a  gradual  tendency  to  develop  a  type  of  vessel  adapted 
to  the  most  economical  service  in  connection  with  the  waterway  con¬ 
sidered.  It  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  predict  with  certainty  what 
these  types  will  be  for  the  waterways  in  question,  but  for  the  purposes 
of  this  investigation  type  carriers  have  been  selected  which,  it  is 
believed,  will  transport  freight  at  the  lowest  cost. 

The  following  table  gives  data  for  various  carriers  and  the  cost  of 
transportation  per  ton-mile  in  open  water  computed  therefrom.  This 
cost  is  determined  by  dividing  the  daily  cost  of  the  vessel,  including 
interest,  depreciation,  repairs,  and  insurance,  by  the  product  of  the 
number  of  tons  in  the  full  cargo  and  the  number  of  miles  traveled  in 
twenty-four  hours  in  open  sea.  It  takes  no  account  of  detentions, 
profits,  shore  expenses,  or  final  absorption  of  the  capital  invested,  and 
therefore  should  not  be  confounded  with  the  actual  cost  of  transpor¬ 
tation.  It  is  employed  only  to  determine  the  relative  economy  of 
transportation  of  the  different  vessels  in  open  water. 

The  table  includes  vessels  of  10,  23,  and  27  feet  draft,  lengths  from 
480  to  550  feet,  breadths  from  52  to  60  feet,  and  speeds  of  12-^  and  15 
statute  miles  per  hour  in  open  water.  These  data  have  been  prepared 
for  the  Board  by  Mr.  Frank  E.  Kirby,  the  eminent  marine  engineer, 
and  therefore  may  be  accepted  with  great  confidence.  The  carriers 
are  modern  steel  vessels  with  water  ballast  when  light.  Nos.  1  to  8 
are  single-screw  steamers,  and  Nos.  9  to  14  are  twin  screws. 


Number  of  carrier . . 

1 

3 

5 

4 

9 

11 

13 

Length  overall.  - . . . feet.. 

180 

480 

480 

500 

520 

540 

550 

Breadth . . do _ 

52 

52 

52 

54 

56 

58 

60 

Draft . . do _ 

19 

23 

27 

27 

27 

27 

27 

Speed,  statute  miles  per  hour . 

121 

12) 

121 

121 

124 

124 

121 

Indicated  horsepower . . 

2,200 

2, 480 

2, 800 

2, 930 

3, 100 

3,200 

3,330 

Coal  consumed  per  hour . .  .pounds. . 

3, 850 

4, 340 

4, 900 

5, 120 

5, 450 

5,600 

5, 830 

Carrying  capacity. . . . . . net  tons. . 

8,600 

9,600 

11,760 

12, 600 

13,300 

13, 980 

14,100 

Cost  of  ship  for.  lake  business  ouly,  dollars 
Cost  of  ship  for  ocean  and  lake  business, 

360,000 

420, 000 

504,000 

558,000 

657, 600 

710, 050 

750,000 

dollars  . . . . . 

Pay  roll  per  day,  including  subsistence, 

387,000 

462, 000 

554, 400 

612,400 

705, 600 

771,400 

828,400 

dollars . 

Percentage  of  cost  for  repairs  and  depre- 

60 

60 

62 

62 

80 

80 

82 

ciation  . .  . . . 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

Percentage  of  cost  for  insurance . . . 

Incidental  expenses  per  day  (coal,  waste. 

41 

41 

44 

41 

41 

44 

44 

etc.) . . ...dollars.. 

Cost  of  transport  in  open  water  per  con- 

117 

129 

143 

149 

155 

159 

165 

mile  (ocean  and  lake  carrier) _ mills.. 

0. 128 

0.129 

0. 121 

0. 120 

0. 129 

0. 130 

0. 136 

Number  of  carrier...  . . 

2 

4 

6 

8 

10 

TT 

14 

Speed,  statute  miles  per  hour  . . . 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

15 

Indicated  horsepower . . . . 

3, 650 

4,130 

4,700 

4,850 

5,200 

5,300 

5,500 

Coal  consumed  per  hour . pounds. . 

6.400 

7,230 

8,230 

8,500 

9, 100 

9,300 

9, 700 

Carrying  capacity  .. .  ..  _ net  tons .. 

Cost  of  ship  for  ocean  and  lake  business, 

7, 650 

8,800 

9,600 

10,000 

10,800 

11,600 

12,000 

dollars . . . .  . .  . . 

Pay  roll  per  day,  including  subsistence. 

410,000 

507.200 

595, 000 

661,200 

760,000 

836,000 

885,000 

dollars . . . . .  . 

Percentage  of  cost  for  repairs  and  depre- 

72 

74 

76 

76 

96 

98 

102 

ciation . . . . . . .  . . . . 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

Percentage  of  cost  for  insurance. . . 

Incidental  expenses  per  day  (coal,  waste, 

44 

41 

41 

41 

44 

44 

4i 

etc.) . . . dollars.. 

Cost  of  transport  in  open  water  per  ton- 

154 

174 

198 

204 

218 

224 

232 

mile . mills .. 

0. 141 

0. 142 

0. 148 

0. 151 

0.158 

0.157 

0.159 

254 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  carriers  which  can  navigate  the  21-foot  waterway  are  Nos.  1 
and  2.  They  have  a  draft  of  10  feet,  a  breadth  of  52  feet,  and  a  length 
of  480  feet.  These  dimensions  are  adopted  for  the  21-foot,  waterway 
in  this  investigation  because  they  are  believed  to  conform  to  the  best 
present  lake  practice.  The  vessels  are  not  quite  as  long  as  the  long¬ 
est  vessels  employed  with  the  same  draft,  but  they  have  nearly  the 
greatest  beam  yet  adopted.  The  cost  of  transport  per  ton-mile  in  open 
water  is  much  greater  for  carrier  No.  2,  which  has  a  speed  of  15  statute 
miles  per  hour,  than  for  carrier  No.  1,  which  has  a  speed  of  124  miles 
per  hour,  and  the  difference  will  be  increased  in  a  restricted  channel. 
No.  1  is  therefore  adopted  as  the  type  carrier  for  the  21-foot  waterway. 

All  the  carriers  can  navigate  the  30-foot  waterway.  It  appears  from 
the  costs  per  ton-mile  given  in  the  table  that  the  carriers  having  a 
speed  of  124  miles  per  hour  are  much  more  economical  than  those 
having  a  speed  of  15  miles  per  hour.  Of  these  carriers,  No.  7  is  the 
most  economical  in  open  water,  and  also  the  most  economical  in  a 
restricted  channel  as  compared  with  the  other  carriers  having  a  draft 
of  27  feet.  The  diminution  of  speed  in  a  restricted  channel  varies 
considerably  for  vessels  of  different  draft.  To  determine  whether 
No.  7  is  more  economical  than  No.  1  for  navigation  in  the  30-foot 
waterway,  the  loss  of  speed  due  to  channel  restriction  and  the  result¬ 
ing  costs  of  transport  per  ton-mile  have  been  calculated  for  the  two 
cases.  For  carrier  No.  1  the  cost  of  transport  per  ton-mile  in  the 
30-foot  waterway  is  0.308  mill,  and  for  carrier  No.  7,  0.300  mill.  Car¬ 
rier  No.  7  is  the  more  economical  under  the  assumed  conditions,  and 
is  therefore  adopted  as  the  type  carrier  for  the  30-foot  waterway. 

THE  DATA  FOR  COMPARISON. 

In  order  to  apply  equation  8  to  the  determination  of  the  relative 
direct  benefits  to  be  derived  from  the  waterways  under  consideration, 
values  for  the  constants  entering  the  equation  must  be  computed  or 
assumed.  The  methods  employed  in  determining  these  values  will 
now  lie  described. 

The  30-foot  waterways  will  first  lie  compared  with  each  other,  water¬ 
way  No.  3  being  taken  as  the  standard.  The  21-foot  waterways  will 
then  be  compared  with  each  other,  waterway  No.  G  being  taken  as  the 
standard.  The  best  30-foot  waterway  will  then  be  compared  with  a 
21-foot  waterway,  the  latter  being  taken  as  the  standard. 

In  equation  8,  Q,  Mw,  R,  and  p  relate  to  the  standard  waterway 
and  Q',  C',  M'w,  and_p'  to  the  waterway  compared  therewith.  In  the 
tebles  the  primes  are  omitted,  except  where  the  data  refer  to  both 
waterways.  For  convenience  the  notation  employed  is  here  repeated: 

C  =cost  of  the  construction  of  the  waterway. 

Mw  -=  annual  cost  of  the  maintenance  and  operation  of  the  waterway. 

Q  — number  of  net  tons  of  freight  annually  transported  over  the 
waterway. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


255 


p  =  average  cost  of  moving  one  ton  from  one  terminal  to  the  other. 
v  =  average  difference  in  value  of  freight  unit  at  terminals. 

R  =  annual  return  upon  $100  expended  in  construction  of  standard 
waterway. 

R'  =  annual  return  upon  $100  expended  in  construction  of  waterway 
compared. 


1.  Constants  of  the  'waterway . — The  cost  of  constructing  each  water¬ 
way  (C)  is  obtained  from  the  detailed  estimates  made  by  the  Board.  In 
connection  with  the  30-foot  waterways  it  will  be  necessary  to  increase 
the  depth  of  the  harbors  at  Duluth  and  Chicago  to  30  feet  to  afford 
necessary  terminal  facilities.  The  cost  of  deepening  Duluth  Harbor 
to  30  feet,  not  including  maintenance,  is  estimated  by  Maj.  C.  B.  Sears, 
Corps  of  Engineers,  at  $4,607,500,  and  the  cost  of  establishing  the 
same  depth  in  Chicago  Harbor  is  estimated  by  Maj.  J.  H.  Willard, 
Corps  of  Engineers,  at  $5,000,000.  For  the  30-foot  waterways  these 
items  are  added  to  the  estimates  of  the  Board. 

Major  Sears  estimates  the  cost  of  new  piers  and  the  protection  of 
old  ones  at  Duluth  at  $1,000,000.  This  has  not  been  included  in  the 
estimate  for  harbor  improvement,  as  it  is  assumed  that  the  work 
would  not  be  done  at  the  expense  of  the  Government.  The  estimate 
for  Chicago  Harbor  does  not  include  the  cost  of  acquiring  property 
nor  the  protection  of  existing  structures,  which.  Major  Willard  says 
would  be  enormous. 

The  annual  cost  of  maintenance  and  operation  of  each  waterway 
(Mw)  has  been  determined  by  the  Board  after  a  thorough  study  of  the 
conditions  in  each  case  and  the  results  of  experience  on  existing  water¬ 
ways,  the  estimates  being  based  upon  the  following  assumptions: 

For  annual  repair  and  maintenance  of  all  structures,  such  as  locks, 
dams,  and  bridges,  1  per  cent  upon  the  first  cost. 

For  annual  repair  and  maintenance  of  the  canal  prism,  one-half  of 
1  per  cent  upon  the  first  cost. 

For  annual  operation  of  single  lift,  single  lock,  $24,740. 

For  annual  operation  of  double  locks,  $19,358  to  $38,645  per  lift, 
depending  upon  the  number  of  lifts  combined. 

These  estimates  include  the  estimated  cost  of  the  general  supervi¬ 
sion  of  the  whole  line. 

2.  Constants  of  traffic  volume. — The  values  of  Q  and  Q'  can  not  be 
estimated  with  certainty,  but  for  the  purpose  of  comparing  waterways 
of  the  same  depth  and  navigated  by  the  same  type  carrier,  it  may  be 
assumed  that  these  quantities  are  proportional  to  the  length  of  the 
average  season  of  navigation. 

In  determining  the  round-trip  load,  it  is  assumed  that  the  vessel 
will  carry  its  full  load  in  its  eastward  trip  and  only  one-third  of  its 
load  on  its  westward  trip.  As  will  be  shown  hereafter,  the  volume  of 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


256 


the  westward  traffic  is  about  one-third  that  of  the  eastward  traffic  at 
the  present  time. 

The  number  of  days  in  the  average  season  of  navigation  has  been 
determined  by  the  Board  from  the  records  of  the  St.  Marys  Falls  and 
St.  Lawrence  canals  for  recent  years. 

3.  Constants  of  transport. — The  average  cost  of  moving  the  freight 
unit  from  one  terminal  to  the  other  ( p )  is  computed  by  dividing  the 
cost  of  maintaining  and  operating  the  type  carrier  (including  interest 
on  first  cost)  during  the  round  trip  by  the  number  of  tons  in  the 
round-trip  load.  The  cost  of  maintenance  and  operation  during  the 
round  trip  is  determined  by  multiplying  the  daily  cost  of  carrier  by 
the  number  of  days  in  the  round  trip  and  subtracting  from  the  result 
the  estimated  value  of  the  coal  saved  during  detention.  On  each  day 
of  detention  it  is  assumed  that  20  tons  of  coal  are  consumed,  which 
is  valued  at  12  per  ton. 

The  value  of  p  thus  determined  is  not  the  freight  rate.  It  does  not 
include  the  cost  of  loading  and  unloading  at  the  terminals,  the  insur¬ 
ance  of  the  freight  during  transit,  nor  the  shore  expenses.  These 
elements  are  omitted  because  they  are  assumed  to  be  equal  increments 
of  r,  p,  and  p' ,  and,  therefore,  do  not  affect  the  value  of  the  coeffi¬ 


cient  of  transport  , 


v-P' 

v-p  ■ 


In  the  case  of  carrier  No.  1,  however,  25 


cents  is  added  to  the  value  of  p  for  foreign  traffic,  this  being  the  esti¬ 
mated  average  cost  of  transferring  the  freight  unit  to  a  deep-sea 
carrier. 


To  determine  the  value  of  the  coefficient  of  transport 


v-P' 

v — p 


it  is  nec¬ 


essary  to  assume  a  value  for  v.  The  minimum  value  of  v  is  the  actual 
price  paid  for  moving  the  freight  unit  from  one  terminal  to  the  other, 
plus  the  cost  of  t  ransferring  it  to  a  deep-sea  carrier.  In  1898  the  freight 
rate  on  a  ton  of  wheat  from  Chicago  to  New  York  (by  lake  and  canal, 
including  transfer)  was  $1.61,  and  from  Duluth  to  New  York,  $1.77. 
To  these  must  be  added  $0.25  for  transfer  to  the  deep-sea  carrier. 
The  minimum  value  of  v  for  routes  from  Chicago  to  New  York  is  there¬ 
fore  assumed  to  be  $1.80,  and  for  routes  from  Duluth  to  New  York  at 
$2.02.  The  maximum  value  of  v  can  not  be  determined;  but  as  v 
increases  the  coefficient  of  transport  rapidly  approaches  a  limit  at 
which  it  becomes  sensibly  equal  to  unity,  and  the  terms  in  equation  8 
containing  R  become  insignificant.  The  values  of  R,  corresponding 
to  extreme  values  of  v,  may  therefore  be  obtained  from  equation 
8,  with  the  minimum  values  of  v  above  given  and  from  the  equa- 

Q'  C 

tionR;  =  -Q  .  yr>.  In  the  comparisons  given  hereafter  the  minimum 


values  of  v  are  employed,  because  the  values  of  p  and  p'  are  minimum 
values,  and  because  it  is  desirable  to  give  the  cost  of  transport  its  full 


I 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


257 


effect  in  the  formula.  The  possible  variation  in  the  value  of  R„  due 
to  a  change  in  the  assumed  value  of  v,  may  be  readily  computed  from 
the  data  given  in  the  tables.  It  will  be  found  that  the  possible  change 
in  R,  is  in  every  case  very  small,  being  generally  in  the  third  decimal 
place. 


It  is  evident  that  the  coefficient  of  transport 


r-p 

V~P 


measures  the 


relative  beuefit  derived  from  the  line  per  unit  of  freight  transported, 
leaving  out  of  consideration  costs  of  construction  and  maintenance. 

4-  Constant  of  return  for  the  standard  icaterway. — Changes  in  the 
value  of  R  will  produce  little  effect  upon  the  value  of  R,,  determined 
from  equation  8.  It  will  be  seen  from  equation  7  that  R  depends  upon 
the  annual  volume  of  traffic  actually  moved  over  the  standard  water¬ 
way.  Assuming  Q  =25,000,000  tons  (which  is  the  value  assumed  by 
the  Board  for  the  discussion  of  technical  questions  affecting  the  water¬ 
way),  values  of  R  for  foreign  and  domestic  traffic  may  be  computed 
from  equation  7. 

Equation  8  is  applicable  to  any  part  of  the  traffic  (foreign  or  domes¬ 
tic)  if  we  assume  that  it  is  in  the  same  relative  proportion  to  the  total 
traffic  in  the  cases  compared. 

The  values  of  the  constants  as  computed  by  the  methods  above 
described,  and  the  principal  data  upon  which  they  are  based  are  given 
in  the  following  tables : 

H.  Doc.  149 - 17 


Table  I. — Thirty-foot  waterways. 

[Type  vessel  No.  T.  ] 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


258 


Table  II. — Twenty-one-foot  roaterways. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


259 


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260 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


COMPARISON  OF  THE  WATERWAYS. 


1.  Thirty-foot  waterways. — The  values  of  R,  obtained  from  equation 
8,  using  the  data  from  Table  I,  are  given  in  the  following  table,  water¬ 
way  No.  3  being  the  standard  for  comparison: 


Route. 

New  York  to— 

Domestic. 

Foreign. 

R/. 

Mean. 

R,. 

Mean. 

r  Duluth . . 

0.926 
0. 927 
1.009 
1.010 

}•  0. 927 
}  1.010 
}■  1.000 

0. 926 
0. 925 
1.010 
1.009 

— - 

}■  0.926 
|  1.010 
1.000 

(< 'hieago . .  . . 

(Duluth  . . . 

Mohawk  high  level - - 

Mohawk  low  level  (standard)  .. 

(Chicago . . . 

(Duluth . . 

If  the  assumptions  upon  which  this  investigation  is  based  are 
accepted,  the  above  values  show  that  the  return  of  direct  benefit  from 
the  30-foot  waterway  via  the  St.  Lawrence  River  and  Lake  Champlain 
(No.  1)  is  less  for  both  foreign  and  domestic  traffic  than  the  return 
from  either  of  the  Mohawk  Valley  routes.  The  two  Mohawk  Valley 
waterways  give  practically  the  same  returns.  The  difference  between 
the  Champlain  and  Mohawk  Valley  routes  seems  too  great  to  be  acci¬ 
dental.  It  corresponds  to  a  change  of  about  11  per  cent  in  the  relative 
cost  of  construction. 

2.  Twenty-one-foot  waterways. — The  values  of  R,  obtained  from 
equation  8,  using  the  data  from  Table  II,  are  given  in  the  following 
table,  waterway  No.  6  being  the  standard  for  comparison: 


Domestic. 

Route. 

New  York  to — 

R,. 

Mean. 

Champlain _ _ 

(Duluth  . 

1.013 

1.013 

}  1.013 

(Chicago  _ _ _ _ 

Mohawk  high  level . 

/Duluth . 

(Chicago  . 

1.005 

1.004 

}  1.005 

Mohawk  low  level  (standard)... 

(Duluth . _ . 

}  1.000 

/Chicago  _ _ 

No. 

4 

5 

6 


Foreign. 


R. 


1.012 

1.012 

1.004 

1.003 


Mean. 

\  1.012 
1.003 
1.000 


The  above  values  show  that  the  return  of  direct  benefit  from  the 
21-foot  waterway  via  the  St.  Lawrence  River  and  Lake  Champlain 
(No.  4)  is  theoretically  a  little  greater  than  the  return  from  either  of 
the  Mohawk  Valley  routes.  The  Mohawk  Valley  routes  give  nearly 
equal  returns.  Practically,  however,  the  three  routes  give  the  same 
return  of  direct  benefit,  the  difference  between  the  Champlain  and 
Mohawk  routes  corresponding  to  a  change  of  about  1  per  cent  in  the 
relative  cost  of  construction. 

3.  Twenty-one  and  30  foot  waterways. — The  value  of  R,  as  deter- 

Q' 

mined  from  equation  8  depends  largely  upon  the  value  of  v  ,  that  is 

upon  the  relative  volumes  of  traffic  upon  the  waterways  compared. 
In  the  preceding  comparisons  there  was  no  difficulty  in  making  a 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


261 


reasonable  est  imate  of  this  quantity,  since  the  waterways  considered 
were  of  the  same  dimensions  and  the  traffic  was  assumed  to  be  con¬ 
ducted  in  the  same  type  carriers. 

For  the  purpose  of  comparing  a  30-foot  waterway  navigated  by 
carrier  No.  7  with  a  21-foot  waterway  navigated  by  carrier  No.  1  it 
is  necessary  to  determine  a  reasonable  value  for  this  quantity.  In 
the  paper  on  Locks  (Appendix  No.  1)  it  is  shown  that  the  practical 
maximum  annual  traffic  capacity  of  the  waterway  is  limited  by  the 
rate  at  which  vessels  can  passthrough  the  locks.  With  a  single  lock 
of  20-foot  lift,  the  maximum  annual  traffic  capacity  of  the  21-foot 
waterway  (Q)  will  be  25,150,000  net  tons,  and  the  maximum  annual 
traffic  capacity  of  the  30-foot  waterway  (Q')  will  be  26,359,000  net 

Q' 

tons.  For  this  case  we  have  ^  =1.048. 


Assuming  waterway  No.  6  as  the  standard  and  comparing  there¬ 
with  waterway  No.  2  (which  is  the  best  30-foot  waterway),  we  obtain 
the  values  of  R(  given  in  the  following  table: 


Waterway. 

Roxite. 

New  York  to — 

Domestic. 

Foreign. 

R,. 

Mean 

R,. 

Mean. 

No.  2  (30-foot ) _ 

No.  6  (31-foot) _ 

Mohawk  high  level .. . 

/Mohawk  low  level  (stand- 
(  ard). 

(Duluth . 

(Chi  lago  .  - . 

(Duluth . 

(Chicago . 

0. 069 
0. 687 

J  0.078 
}-  1.000 

0. 839 
0. 871 

|  0.850 
1.000 

If  we  suppose  the  single-lift  locks  to  be  duplicated,  the  traffic 
capacity  of  the  waterway  will  be  determined  by  the  lockage  capacity 
of  the  Lewiston  flight,  and  we  have  Q1  =  34,405,000,  Q  =  35,801,000, 

Q' 

and  q-  =  0.961.  In  this  case  the  traffic  capacity  of  the  larger  water¬ 
way  is  actually  less  than  that  of  the  smaller  one.  The  corresponding 
values  of  R/  (neglecting  changes  in  relative  cost  and  maintenance 
due  to  the  additional  locks)  are  given  in  the  following  table: 


Waterway. 

Route. 

New  York  to — 

Domestic. 

Foreign. 

R„ 

Mean. 

R,. 

Mean. 

No.  2  (30-foot)  .... 

No.  6  (21-foot)  .... 

Mohawk  high  level . 

(Mohawk  low  level  (stand  - 
l  ard). 

fDuluth . 

(Chicago  . 

i  Duluth . . . 

(Chicago . . 

0.613 
0. 039 

{  0.631 

j-  1.000 

0. 757 
0. 793 

}  0.  775 
1.000 

The  above  values  show  that  the  return  of  direct  benefit  from  the 
21-foot  waterway  is  much  greater  than  the  return  from  the  30-foot 
waterway. 

It  should  be  remarked,  however,  that  the  lock  dimensions  adopted 
by  the  Board  for  the  30-foot  waterway  are  too  large  for  the  most  eco¬ 
nomical  results  from  a  purely  freight  traffic,  these  dimensions  having 
been  chosen  to  provide  for  the  passage  of  ships  of  war  and  large  ocean 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


262 

vessels  built  on  the  lakes.  With  locks  designed  for  the  most  econom¬ 
ical  freight  traffic  only,  somewhat  better  results  would  be  obtained. 

RELATIVE  INDIRECT  ADVANTAGES. 

The  preceding  discussion  has  been  confined  to  the  investigation  of 
the  comparative  direct  value  of  the  waterways  considered  simply  as 
instruments  of  commerce  for  the  economical  transportation  of  bulky 
low-priced  freight.  From  this  restricted  point  of  view  it  appears  that 
the  21-foot  waterway  is  much  superior  to  the  30-foot  waterway. 
This  is  the  view  which  would  necessarily  be  taken  by  a  private  pro¬ 
prietor  looking  only  to  the  direct  gains  which  might  be  derived  from 
the  traffic.  But  when  the  Government  is  the  proprietor,  the  problem 
can  not  be  limited  to  such  narrow  conditions.  The  indirect  benefits 
derived  from  the  establishment  of  the  line  may  be  of  such  importance 
in  their  influence  upon  production,  commerce,  and  the  general  pros¬ 
perity  of  the  people  that  the  question  of  a  greater  or  less  return  of 
direct  value  may  become  comparatively  insignificant.  It  is  of  vital 
importance  to  the  private  proprietor  that  he  should  obtain  a  reason¬ 
able  money  return  for  his  investment;  but  the  Government  may  often 
wisely  expend  large  sums  for  the  production  of  general  results,  even 
when  no  direct  return  of  value  can  be  expected. 

In  forming  an  estimate  of  the  relative  indirect  advantages  and  dis¬ 
advantages  of  the  waterways,  questions  must  be  considered  which  can 
not  be  stated  in  mathematical  formulas.  For  a  clear  understanding 
of  ihese  questions  it  will  be  necessary  to  consider  briefly  the  amount 
and  character  of  the  existing  lake  traffic  and  its  past  and  probable 
future  development,  to  point  out  the  distinguishing  peculiarities  of 
transportation  lines  of  different  character  and  capacity,  and  to  indicate 
the  objects  which  the  proposed  waterways  are  intended  to  subserve. 

THE  LAKE  TRAFFIC. 

The  demand  for  increased  facilities  and  diminished  rates  of  trans¬ 
portation  from  the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes  to  the  interior  of  the 
country  and  to  the  sea  is  based  upon  facts  which  are  believed  to  be 
established  by  the  history  of  the  development  of  the  productive 
resources  of  this  part  of  our  territory.  The  commodities  forming  the 
bulk  of  the  traffic  for  which  provision  is  desired  are  grain  (including 
flour),  iron  ore,  lumber,  and  coal. 

The  movement  of  these  commodities  comprises  about  90  per  cent  of 
the  total  freight  movement  on  the  lakes.  As  will  be  shown  hereafter, 
t  he  greater  part  of  this  traffic  goes  to  the  domestic  markets  of  our  coun¬ 
try,  but  still  an  important  part  is  destined  to  foreign  markets.  The 
volume  of  these  products  has  increased  rapidly  with  every  increase  in 
the  facilities  of  transportation  and  with  every  permanent  decrease  in 
transportation  rates.  It  is  claimed  that  further  increase  in  facilities 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


2G3 


and  reduction  in  rates  is  absolutely  necessary  if  we  would  hold  our 
place  in  foreign  markets  in  competition  with  the  products  of  other 
countries. 

For  the  purposes  of  this  inquiry  full  and  accurate  statistics  of  the 
lake  commerce  as  it  now  exists  are  unnecessary,  and  indeed  would  be 
of  little  value.  The  problem  involves  conditions  which  will  exist 
after  a  deep  waterway  has  been  established,  and  the  quantitative 
effects  of  these  conditions  can  not  be  determined  from  any  existing 
data.  Only  such  figures,  therefore,  are  given  as  relate  directly  to  the 
questions  under  consideration. 

The  following  table  1  shows  for  the  year  1898  the  traffic  for  each  of 
the  four  leading  commodities  referred  to  above,  the  eastward  traffic 
(that  is,  the  traffic  east  of  Detroit),  and  the  quantities  destined  to 
domestic  and  foreign  markets,  respectively: 


[Quantities  in  net  tons.] 


Commodity. 

Total  traffic. 

Eastward  traffic. 

Total. 

Domestic. 

Export. 

Grain  (including  flour) . 

Iron  ores . . . . . 

12,03(5,013 
13, 650, 788 
4.5+0.000 
8, 722, 667 

12.030,013 
11.028,321 
2. 531, 180 

2, 888, 829 
11,028,321 
2,531, 180 

a  9, 147, 184 

Lu  mber . . 

Coal . 

Total . . 

38, 949. 4t5S 

25,595,514 

16, 448. 330 

9, 147, 184 

a  Exports  from  Montreal,  Boston,  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore. 


To  indicate  the  magnitude  of  the  past  development  of  this  com¬ 
merce  it  is  only  necessary  to  say  that  flu*  total  lake  traffic  for  the  year 
1871  has  been  estimated  at  14,283,000  tons.  Since  that  time  trans¬ 
portation  facilities  by  rail  and  water  have  been  greatly  increased,  new 
locks  around  the  falls  of  St.  Marys  River  have  been  constructed,  the 
Welland  Canal  has  been  deepened,  the  lake  harbors  and  channels 
have  been  improved,  steam  vessels  have  taken  the  place  of  sailing 
vessels,  and  the  population  of  the  country  has  about  doubled.  These 
are  the  principal  causes  of  this  enormous  expansion  of  the  volume  of 
traffic. 

FUTURE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  LAKE  TRAFFIC. 

The  population  of  the  country  will  surely  continue  to  increase  rap¬ 
idly,  and  this  must  be  accompanied  by  an  increase  in  the  volume  of 
the  lake  traffic.  It  must  not,  however,  be  inferred  that  the  eastward 
traffic  will  develop  in  direct  proportion  to  the  increase  in  population 
of  the  country,  for  about  one-half  of  our  population  is  situated  in  the 


1  The  figures  for  grain  (including  flour)  are  compiled  from  a  report  entitled 
The  Grain  Trade  of  the  United  States,  published  by  the  Bureau  of  Statistics  of  the 
Treasury  Department,  January,  1900.  The  other  figures  are  based  upon  data 
obtained  from  the  admirable  tables  which  accompany  the  report  of  the  commit¬ 
tee  on  canals  of  New  York  State,  1899. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


great  Mississippi  Basin,  where  the  rate  of  increase  is  much  greater 
than  in  our  Eastern  territory.  The  future  demands  of  this  part  of 
our  country  upon  the  products  of  the  lake  region  will  doubtless 
reduce  the  relative  amount  of  Eastern  traffic.  Nevertheless,  it  does 
not  seem  unreasonable  to  believe  that  the  ratio  of  demand  to  supply 
will  continue  to  be  as  great  as  it  is  at  the  present  time,  even  should 
the  facilities  for  transportation  be  very  largely  increased.  The 
assumption  that  the  difference  in  value  of  the  freight  unit  at  the 
terminals  is  constant  for  tin*  t  ransportation  lines  considered,  which 
forms  the  basis  of  our  equation  of  utility,  seems,  therefore,  to  be 
justified. 

It  appears  from  the  table  given  above  that  only  about  one-third  of 
the  east-bound  lake  freight  is  exported  to  foreign  countries,  the  re¬ 
mainder  being  distributed  to  domestic  markets.  Practically  the  entire 
exports  of  commodities  transported  on  the  lakes  and  received  from 
the  lake  region  consists  of  grain  and  other  food  products. 

GRAIN. 

As  regards  the  future  development  of  the  production  of  grain  in 
the  region  tributary  to  the  lakes,  it  is  only  necessary  to  point  out  that 
the  rapid  increase  of  our  population  will  imperatively  demand  the 
utilization  of  all  our  food-producing  areas  in  the  near  future  for  the 
supply  of  our  own  markets.  It  has  been  stated  by  Hon.  John  Hyde, 
Chief  Statistician  of  the  Agricultural  Department,  that  within  the 
short  period  of  thirty  years  more  than  the  entire  wheat  production  of 
the  country  will  be  required  for  consumption  by  our  own  people,  to 
tin  entire  exclusion  of  our  export  trade.1  Even  should  this  view'  not 
be  accepted  by  all,  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  ratio  of  the  export 
trade  to  the  domestic  trade  in  food  products  must  rapidly  diminish. 

IRON  ORE. 

The  movement  of  iron  ore,  which  forms  at  the  present  time  so  large 
a  proportion  of  the  lake  traffic,  is  principally  from  Lake  Superior  to 
Lake  Erie  ports,  from  which  the  ore  is  sent  by  rail  to  the  great  coal 
and  iron  region  of  which  Pittsburg  is  the  center.  As  the  undeveloped 
resources  of  the  Lake  Superior  region  are  enormous,  this  traffic  may 
increase  greatly  under  the  demands  resulting  from  increased  popula¬ 
tion.  Should  adequate  facilities  for  water  transportation  lie  provided, 
it  is  possible  that  a  considerable  part  of  these  products  may  be  carried 
to  points  within  the  interior  of  the  State  of  New'  York,  wdiere  conven¬ 
ient  limestone  and  the  saving  in  cost  of  transportation  both  of  the 
crude  material  and  finished  product  may  compensate  for  the  advan¬ 
tage  of  the  Pittsburg  district  in  its  greater  proximity  to  coke  and  coal.2 

‘“America  and  the  wheat  problem."  Published  in  The  Wheat  Problem,  by 
Sir  William  Crookes,  F.  R.  S. 

2  Report  of  committee  on  canals  of  New*  York  State,  1899,  p.  15. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


265 


None  of  this  ore  is  exported  at  the  present  time,  nor  is  it  probable 
that  much  of  it  ever  will  be  except  in  the  form  of  finished  material. 

LUMBER. 

Of  the  four  leading  commodities  considered  lumber  forms  the  small¬ 
est  proportion  of  the  lake  traffic,  and  its  movement  is  rapidly  dimin¬ 
ishing.  The  reasons  for  this  rapid  decrease  are  fully  and  clearly 
stated  by  Prof.  George  G.  Tunell  in  his  able  report  on  lake  com¬ 
merce.1  It  is  largely  due  to  the  destruction  of  the  forests  on  the  shores  of 
the  lakes  and  on  the  banks  of  the  tributary  streams.  Lumber  is  now 
principally  obtained  at  points  so  far  in  the  interior  that  it  is  generally 
cheaper  to  saw  logs  at  local  mills  and  transport  the  product  by  rail 
than  to  carry  or  float  them  to  the  water  and  transship  them.  More¬ 
over,  there  is  a  strong  and  increasing  competition  in  northern  markets 
from  southern  lumber.  The  exports  of  lumber  from  the  lake  region 
are  now  insignificant,  and  they  must  cease  in  the  near  future,  as  much 
more  than  our  entire  product  will  soon  be  needed  for  our  own  people. 

COAL. 

The  total  volume  of  eastward  traffic  on  the  lakes  greatly  exceeds 
that  of  the  westward  traffic.  The  lake  movement  of  coal,  which  is 
entirely  westward,  is  therefore  of  great  importance,  not  only  because 
it  supplies  the  necessities  of  the  territory  west  and  north  of  Lakes 
Michigan  and  Superior,  but  also  because  it  furnishes  a  return  freight 
for  the  lake  carriers.  Professor  Tunell  states  that  during  1890  coal 
constituted  about  three-fourths  of  the  west-bound  traffic  through  the 
Detroit  River  and  80  per  cent  of  the  west-bound  traffic  through  the 
St.  Marys  Falls  Canal. 

Most  of  this  material  is  shipped  from  the  ports  of  Lake  Erie  to 
Duluth  and  Superior,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior,  and  to  Chicago 
and  Milwaukee,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan,  the  shipments  to  Lake 
Superior  being  much  greater  than  those  to  Lake  Michigan,  as  in  the 
latter  case  the  conditions  are  more  favorable  for  railway  competition. 

At  the  present  time  none  of  the  coal  transported  on  the  lakes  is  sent 
to  markets  beyond  sea,  but  if  a  deep  waterway  to  the  seacoast  were 
constructed  it  would  probably  become  an  important  factor  in  our 
export  traffic. 

SUMMARY. 

To  summarize  the  above  statements,  the  freight  traffic  of  the  Great 
Lakes,  already  amounting  to  at  least  40,000,000  tons  per  year,2  may 
be  expected  to  increase  greatly  and  rapidly  with  increase  of  popula¬ 
tion  and  the  extension  and  cheapening  of  facilities  for  transportation, 

1  Doc.  No.  277.  House  of  Representatives.  Fifty-fifth  Congress,  second  session. 

s  The  registered  tonnage  of  the  lake  traffic  for  1898,  as  given  in  the  report  of  the 
New  York  State  committee  on  canals,  is  62,028,000.  A  large  percentage  of  this  is 
the  registered  tonnage  of  passenger  steamers. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


266 


but  this  traffic  will  tend  more  and  more  to  domestic  markets  and  less 
and  less  to  foreign  ones. 

CHARACTERISTICS  OF  TRANSPORTATION  LINES. 

These  conditions  appear  to  fully  justify  the  establishment  of  new 
facilities  for  transportation  from  the  lakes  to  the  sea  either  by  the 
General  Government  or  by  State  or  private  enterprise.  At  the  pres¬ 
ent  time  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  traffic  between  lake  and  ocean 
is  by  railway,  only  about  one  twenty-fifth  of  the  volume  transported 
going  by  canal  and  river.  If  a  new  line  for  water  transportation  is  to 
be  established  it  must  be  done  by  the  General  or  a  State  Government, 
not  only  on  account  of  the  great  expenditure  involved,  but  also  because 
such  a  line  is  not  so  desirable  for  private  ownership  and  operation  as 
a  railway,  upon  which  the  carrier  business  can  be  monopolized  by  the 
owner,  and  therefore  it  probably  would  not  be  constructed  by  private 
enterprise.  In  order  that  we  may  clearly  understand  the  consequences 
involved  in  the  proposed  change  of  the  greater  part  of  the  traffic  from 
rail  to  water  transportation,  we  must  now  briefly  point  out  the  prin¬ 
cipal  characteristics  of  railways  and  waterways  considered  as  instru¬ 
ments  of  commerce  for  the  transportation  of  freight. 

It  is  frequently  asserted  that  water  transportation  is  always  much 
cheaper  than  transportation  by  rail,  but  this  statement  can  not  be 
accepted  without  qualification.  If  it  is  intended  to  mean  that  the  cost 
of  transport  proper  is  generally  less  in  the  case  of  the  waterway  than 
in  the  case  of  the  railway,  the  statement  is  doubtless  true;  but  if  the 
toll  is  included  in  the  cost  of  transport  for  the  waterway  as  well  as  for 
the  railway,  the  cost  of  transportation  will  often  be  less  for  the  rail¬ 
way  than  for  the  waterway  when  the  latter  is  an  artificial  channel  of 
moderate  dimensions. 

As  a  line  of  communication  between  the  same  terminals,  the  rail¬ 
way  is  for  obvious  reasons  almost  always  shorter  than  the  water  line- 
Moreover,  it  carries  passengers,  and  a  considerable  part  of  its  freight 
is  of  large  value  in  proportion  to  its  bulk.  The  passengers  and  high- 
class  freight  are  made  to  bear  a  large  proportion  of  the  mean  cost  of 
transportation.  A  distinguished  authority 1  on  this  subject  finds  from 
a  study  of  experience  on  French  railways  and  waterways  that  between 
two  given  points  the  mean  net  cost  of  transportation  by  rail  is  gener¬ 
ally  lower  than  the  cost  of  transportation  by  water;  but  it  must  be  re¬ 
membered  that  the  canals  of  France  are  of  small  dimensions  and  not 
well  adapted  to  economical  traffic.  In  short,  no  general  rule  on  this 
subject  can  be  laid  down.  Each  case  must  be  separately  investigated, 
and  the  relative  economical  advantages  of  the  rail  and  waterway  must 
lie  determined  in  accordance  with  the  existing  special  conditions. 
Even  then  it  is  not  easy  to  make  a  satisfactory  comparison,  owing  to 

1  C.  Colson.  Ingenieur  des  Ponts  et  Chaussees,  Maitre  des  Requetes  au  Conseil 
d'Etat.  Transports  et  Tarifs.  Paris,  1890. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


267 


characteristic  differences  in  the  methods  of  conducting  transportation 
by  the  two  lines.  Generally  the  railway  carries  passengers  and  a 
great  variety  of  high-class  as  well  as  low-class  freight,  so  that  it  is  ex¬ 
ceedingly  difficult  to  determine  the  average  cost  of  transportation  of 
any  assumed  freight  unit. 

One  of  the  most  important  differences  between  the  railway  and  the 
waterway  arises  from  the  fact  that  in  the  case  of  the  former  the  pro¬ 
prietor  of  the  line  and  depots  for  receiving  and  shipping  freight  and 
the  carrier  are  one  and  the  same  party,  while  in  the  case  of  the  latter 
these  interests  are  generally  in  different  hands.  It  results  from  this 
that  railwav  service  is  much  more  regular  and  efficient  than  water 
service,  because  it  is  under  a  centralized  management. 

The  skill  and  efficiency  with  which  the  railway  service  is  managed 
and  improved  and  the  lack  of  improvement  and  efficient  manage¬ 
ment  in  canal  transportation  have  often  been  pointed  out,  but  it  does 
not  seem  to  have  been  observed  that  these  differences  are  largely 
inherent  in  the  different  character  of  the  organizations  of  the  two  serv¬ 
ices.  The  management  of  the  railway  is  as  much  interested  in  the 
shipping,  receiving,  and  movement  of  the  traffic  as  in  the  toll,  while 
in  the  case  of  the  waterway  each  interest  is  concerned  with  the  others 
only  so  far  as  may  appear  to  be  for  its  own  direct  benefit. 

In  the  case  of  the  waterway,  especially  when  it  is  of  small  dimen¬ 
sions,  delays  are  more  liable  to  occur  from  accidents  and  crowding 
than  in  the  case  of  the  railway.  The  railway  has  generally  the  great 
advantage  of  speed,  which  secures  for  it  all  the  traffic  in  which  time 
of  transport  is  an  element  of  importance. 

Finally,  the  railway  is  available  for  traffic  during  the  whole  year, 
while  the  waterway  must  be  closed  during  the  season  of  ice. 

M.  Colson  rein  irks  that  experience  shows  that  generally  these 
advantages  of  the  railway  cause  it  to  be  preferred  for  the  movement 
of  merchandise  of  moderate  value  when  the  rates  do  not  exceed  those 
of  water  transportation  by  more  than  20  percent.1  This  deduction, 
however,  is  doubtless  based  upon  a  study  of  the  traffic  upon  tin*  rail¬ 
ways  and  small  canals  of  France. 

The  net  cost  of  transportation  upon  the  waterways  herein  consid¬ 
ered,  for  both  domestic  and  foreign  traffic,  would,  of  course,  be  very 
much  smaller  than  on  a  railway  or  combined  lake  and  railway  line, 
even  should  the  toll  be  included.  Moreover,  it  is  important  that  t he 
facilities  provided  for  increased  traffic  movement  should  be  fully  ade¬ 
quate  to  meet  all  possible  future  demands,  and  the  waterways  have  a 
traffic  capacity  exceeding  that  which  could  be  furnished  by  railways 
at  the  same  cost. 

The  total  freight  tonnage  of  the  New  York  Central  and  Hudson 
River  Railroad  in  1898  was  23,403,439  tons,  which  is  much  less  than 
the  maximum  traffic  capacity  of  the  21-foot  waterway. 


'Tarifs  et  Transports,  p.  310. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


268 


All  important  advantage  of  the  waterway  over  the  railway  results 
from  the  characteristic  feature  of  its  organization  which  has  been 
already  pointed  out — that  the  various  interests  of  line  manager, 
freight  shipper,  and  receiver  and  carrier  are  in  different  and  inde¬ 
pendent  hands.  The  maximum  amount  of  benefit  is  derived  from  the 
traffic  by  the  users  of  the  line  (or  general  public)  when  the  toll  and 
transport  proper  are  made  as  small  as  possible.  In  the  case  of  a  rail¬ 
way,  where  the  entire  system  is  controlled  by  a  single  management, 
the  natural  effort  is  to  obtain  for  the  proprietor  and  carrier  as  much 
as  possible  of  the  value  derived  from  the  traffic;  in  other  words,  to 
make  the  traffic  pay  what  it  will  bear.  In  the  case  of  a  large  water¬ 
way  open  to  the  use  of  all  carriers,  the  element  of  free  competition 
regulates  the  rate  of  transport  proper,  and  under  these  circum¬ 
stances  the  charge  for  transportation  must  tend  to  approximate  the 
net  cost. 

But  it  is  not  merely  from  the  reduction  of  rates  that  benefit  is 
derived.  One  of  the  most  injurious  effects  of  the  lack  of  free  compe¬ 
tition  in  railway  traffic  has  been  the  variation  of  rates  through  a  wide 
range,  resulting  from  alternate  competition  and  combination  of  trans¬ 
portation  lines.  It  has  been  found  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  con¬ 
trol  these  variations  by  law;  but  the  influence  of  a  large  waterway, 
open  to  the  use  of  all  carriers,  could  not  fail  to  prevent  large  fluctua¬ 
tions  in  railway  charges  upon  bulky  freight  during  the  season  of  its 
operation. 

It  has  already  been  pointed  out  that  this  characteristic  feature  of 
waterways  is  a  disadvantage  so  far  as  regards  regularity  of  service 
and  efficiency  of  management,  and  this  is  one  reason  why  it  may  be 
considered  desirable  for  the  Government  to  own  and  manage  the 
waterway  and  assume  the  toll.  Under  these  circumstances  the  public 
will  receive  all  the  benefit  derived  from  the  traffic  after  the  carrier 
has  been  paid  his  charges,  and  these  charges  will  be  kept  from  large 
fluctuation  and  near  the  net  cost  of  transport  by  the  action  of  free 
competition.  It  would,  at  first  sight,  seem  unfair  for  the  Government 
to  assume  the  toll  on  one  transportation  line  to  enable  it  to  compete 
to  advantage  with  other  lines  constructed  and  operated  by  its  own 
citizens;  but  it  is  claimed  that  the  increased  demand  for  a  higher  class 
of  freight,  created  by  the  business  and  prosperity  which  would  inevi¬ 
tably  follow  the  construction  of  a  great  waterway,  would  more  than 
compensate  the  railways  for  their  loss  of  the  low-class  traffic.  It 
would  not  be  to  the  public  interest  to  have  the  high-class  traffic 
diverted  from  the  railways  to  the  waterways,  but  high-class  freight 
is  generally  package  freight  not  readily  handled  by  mechanical 
devices,  and  therefore  not  likely  to  go  by  water. 

This  characteristic  feature  of  water  transportation  controls  not  only 
the  movement  of  the.  freight,  but  also  its  shipment  and  delivery.  In 
the  case  of  the  railway,  stations  are  established  at  which  freight  must 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


2()9 


be  handled  under  the  direction  of  the  management.  In  the  case  of 
the  waterway,  every  point  upon  its  banks  is  a  possible  station.  The 
result  must  be  an  active  competition,  which  must  control  and  cheapen 
the  cost  of  handling  and  develop  points  of  shipment  and  delivery  best 
'  suited  to  economical  receipt  and  distribution. 

It  is  claimed  as  a  great  advantage  of  waterways  of  sufficient  dimen¬ 
sions  for  navigation  by  ships  that  they  permit  of  the  transport  of  the 
cargo  through  to  domestic  or  foreign  ports  without  transfer  from  one 
carrier  to  another,  thus  saving  the  time  and  cost  of  handling  and  loss 
by  waste.  This  is  an  advantage  of  the  ship  canal  as  compared  with 
the  barge  canal  of  moderate  dimensions  as  well  as  with  the  railway. 
It  is,  however,  considered  by  high  authorities  very  doubtful  whether 
a  vessel  can  be  so  constructed  as  to  navigate  successfully  and  eco¬ 
nomically  the  ocean,  the  lakes,  and  the  canal.  The  ocean  vessel  must 
be  stronger  than  the  lake  vessel  and  more  costly  in  construction, 
operation,  and  maintenance,  and  it  must  be  fitted  with  expensive 
appliances  which  are  not  required  in  the  lake  traffic.  In  consider¬ 
ing  this  question  it  must  be  remembered  that  under  existing  condi¬ 
tions  the  lake  vessel  is  compelled  to  be  idle  during  about  one-third  of 
the  year,  while  if  it  had  free  access  to  the  sea  and  were  constructed 
for  foreign  or  coast  navigation  it  could  be  earning  money  all  the  year 
round. 

Mr.  Kirby  estimates  the  cost  of  our  type  vessel  No.  1,  when  designed 
for  lake  and  ocean  business,  at  $387,000,  and  when  designed  for  lake 
business  only,  at  $360,000.  The  daily  cost  of  maintenance  and  opera¬ 
tion,  including  5  per  cent  on  first  cost,  is,  in  the  first  case,  $331,  and 
in  the  second,  $404.  Such  a  vessel,  when  destined  for  lake  and  ocean 
business,  could  carry  a  full  cargo  from  Duluth  or  Chicago  to  New 
York,  and,  owing  to  the  additional  buoyancy  of  sea  water,  then  take 
on  all  the  coal  required  for  the  ocean  voyage  without  overloading. 

The  benefit  to  commerce  which  would  result  from  giving  access  to 
shipping  from  the  lakes  to  the  sea,  thus  rescuing  the  lake  fleet  from 
enforced  idleness  during  one-third  of  the  year,  would,  of  course,  be 
enormous  if  the  problem  of  constructing  a  vessel  economically  adapted 
to  both  kinds  of  service  can  be  satisfactorily  solved.  This  is  a  bene¬ 
fit  which  is  peculiar  to  the  waterway,  and  can  not  be  derived  from 
the  extension  of  railway  facilities. 

It  is  further  stated  that  if  adequate  water  communication  with  the 
sea  were  provided  a  great  industry  in  the  construction  of  iron  and 
steel  ships  would  be  immediately  developed  on  the  lakes.  This 
industry  is  already  an  important  one,  no  less  than  1,258  vessels  hav¬ 
ing  been  constructed  at  the  lake  ports  during  the  last  ten  years;  but 
as  there  is  no  access  to  the  sea  for  vessels  of  more  than  about  13  feet 
draft,  the  business  is  almost  exclusively  confined  to  the  construction 
of  ships  for  the  lake  service. 

It  is  claimed  that  nowhere  in  tin;  world  are  the  conditions  for  the 


270 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


economical  construction  of  steel  vessels  more  favorable  than  at  some 
of  the  lake  ports.  Cleveland,  for  example,  is  the  center  of  a  great 
steel  manufacture.  It  is  further  from  the  coke-producing  districts 
than  Pittsburg,  but  this  disadvantage  is  counterbalanced  by  its 
advantage  of  receiving  ores  by  direct  and  cheap  water  transportation. 
The  opening  of  a  deep  waterway  to  the  sea  would  enable  the  ship¬ 
yards  of  the  lakes  to  compete  with  those  of  the  seacoast  in  the  con¬ 
struction  of  vessels  for  the  ocean  traffic. 

Finally,  the  argument  has  often  been  advanced  that  a  deep  water¬ 
way  connecting  the  lakes  with  the  sea  would  be  of  great  military 
value  in  connection  with  the  defense  of  the  northern  frontier  of  the 
country  Such  a  waterway  would  enable  ships  of  war  to  pass  between 
the  sea  and  the  lakes,  and  it  would  also  permit  the  economical  con¬ 
struction  of  such  vessels  at  the  lake  shipyards. 

The  preceding  brief  statement  of  commercial  and  transportation 
conditions  and  of  the  benefits  which  may  be  expected  to  result  from 
the  establishment  of  a  deep  waterway  from  the  lakes  to  the  sea  is 
intended  only  as  a  basis  for  the  comparison  of  the  relative  advantages 
and  disadvantages  of  the  21 -foot  and  30- foot  waterways.  Under  the 
provisions  of  law,  it  is  not  the  duty  of  the  Board  to  report  upon  the 
general  question  as  to  whether  the  requirements  of  commerce  justify 
the  construction  of  a  deep  waterway  at  the  expense  of  the  General 
Government  or  to  compare  the  advantages  of  such  a  waterway  with 
those  of  one  of  moderate  dimensions  requiring  transfers  of  freight  at 
both  its  terminals.  Nevertheless,  before  making  the  comparison 
required  by  law,  it  seems  desirable  to  invite  attention  to  two  important 
points. 

The  first  point  is  that  if  any  project  is  undertaken  by  the  Govern¬ 
ment  it  should  be  fully  adequate  to  the  present  and  future  purposes 
which  it  is  intended  to  subserve.  It  has  been  remarked  by  a  distin¬ 
guished  authority  that  the  life  of  any  public  work  is  practically 
coincident  with  that  of  the  generation  which  began  it.  This  is 
especially  true  in  a  country  like  our  own,  where  population  increases 
and  commerce  develops  with  amazing  rapidity.  The  reason  why  it  is 
true  is  because  in  the  construction  of  such  works  future  necessities 
are  almost  invariably  underestimated.  For  example,  the  first  canal 
and  locks  at  St.  Marys  Falls  were  completed  in  1855,  at  a  cost  of 
about  $1,000,000.  To  meet  the  necessities  of  the  increasing  traffic,  a 
new  and  much  larger  lock  and  canal  were  commenced  in  1870  and 
completed  in  188',  at  a  cost  of  $2,171,000.  This  was  soon  found  to 
be  insufficient  for  the  requirements  of  the  lake  navigation,  and  still 
another  and  larger  lock  was  commenced  in  1887  and  completed  in 
1890,  at  a  cost  of  about  $4,700,000.  The  volume  of  the  lake  traffic 
has  so  greatly  increased  that  at  the  present  time  the  construction  of 
a  new  lock  is  under  consideration.  In  1870  no  one  could  have  been 
bold  enough  to  suggest  the  construction  of  a  lock  of  the  size  and  cost 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


271 


of  the  Poe  lock,  recently  completed;  and  yet  if  such  a  lock  had  been 
then  constructed  the  results  would  have  been  a  large  saving  to  the 
Government  and  a  great  benefit  to  the  commercial  interests  of  the 
lakes. 

It  is,  therefore,  of  the  highest  importance  that  any  waterway  con¬ 
structed  by  the  Government  should  be  fully  capable  of  meeting  every 
possible  commercial  demand  which  may  arise  in  the  future.  A  lack 
of  capacity  for  future  commerce  might  necessitate  its  entire  recon¬ 
struction  at  enormous  cost,  and  require  an  adaptation  of  vessels  and 
traffic  to  new  conditions,  involving  great  loss  to  commercial  interests. 

The  second  point  is  that  any  project  undertaken  by  the  Government 
should  be  of  a  national  and  not  of  a  local  character,  benefiting  many 
and  varied  commercial  interests  and  exerting  its  influence  over  as 
great  an  extent  of  the  country  as  possible.  It  is  easily  conceivable 
that  a  barge  canal  of  moderate  dimensions,  requiring  transfers  at 
Buffalo  and  New  York,  might  be  of  more  direct  benefit  to  the  State  of 
New  York  than  a  canal  of  sufficient  dimensions  for  the  uninterrupted 
passage  of  ships,  but  much  of  this  benefit  would  be  at  the  expense  of 
the  producers  and  shippers  of  other  parts  of  the  country.  Moreover, 
with  such  a  canal  the  large  interests  of  shipbuilding  and  winter  traffic 
for  the  lake  fleet  would  be  unprovided  for. 

It  appears  from  the  investigations  of  the  Board  and  the  preceding 
discussion  that  the  most  favorable  route  for  a  30-foot  waterway  from 
the  lakes  to  the  sea  is  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  via  La  Salle 
and  Lewiston,  and  from  Lake  Ontario  to  t lie  Hudson  River  via  Oswego 
and  the  Mohawk  Y alley,  on  the  low-level  plan,  and  that  the  same 
route  is  practically  as  favorable  as  any  for  the  21 -foot  waterway. 
The  high-level  plan  gives  a  slightly  greater  return  of  direct  value  than 
the  low-level  plan  for  both  the  21-foot  and  30-foot  waterways;  but  the 
difference  is  insignificant,  and  the  Board  considers  the  low-level  plan 
preferable  for  engineering  reasons.  This  route  is  entirely  in  our  own 
country  and  has  a  longer  season  of  navigation  than  the  more  north¬ 
erly  line.  The  problem  ol  its  defense  is,  of  course,  much  simpler  than 
it  would  be  were  a  part  of  it  in  a  foreign  country,  and  it  is  available 
as  a  line  of  communication  for  ships  of  war.  In  the  following  com¬ 
parison  of  the  21-foot  and  30-foot  waterways  this  route  will  alone  be 
considered. 

Cost  of  construction. — The  estimated  cost  of  the  21-foot  waterway 
is  $206,358,000;  the  estimated  cost  of  the  30-foot  waterway  is 
$317,284,000,  to  which  should  be  added  about  $9,607,500  for  the  neces¬ 
sary  deepening  of  the  harbors  at  Duluth  and  Chicago,  making  the 
total  cost  $326,892,000. 

Cost  of  maintenance  and  operation. — The  annual  cost  of  mainte¬ 
nance  and  operation  is  estimated  at  $2,286,189  for  the  21-foot  water¬ 
way,  and  $2,883,158  for  the  30-foot  waterway. 


272 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Cost  of  transport  proper. — The  theoretical  cost  of  moving  the  freight 
unit,  exclusive  of  toll,  from  one  terminal  to  the  other  on  the  lines 
considered,  is  given  in  the  following  table: 


Route. 

21 -foot  waterway. 

30-foot  waterway. 

Domestic. 

Foreign. 

Domestic.  Foreign. 

Total 

cost. 

Cost  per 
ton-mile. 

Total 

cost. 

Cost  per 
ton-mile. 

Total 

cost. 

Cost  per  |  Total 
ton-mile.  cost. 

Cost  per 
ton -mile. 

New  York  to — 

Cents. 

Mills. 

Cents. 

Mills. 

Cents. 

Mills.  Cents. 

Mills. 

Duluth . 

45. 2 

0.31 

70.2 

0.48 

45. 4 

0  31  :  40. 9 

0.28 

Chicago . 

42.  :i 

.31 

67. 3 

.49 

42.7 

. 31  1  38. 2 

.28 

Mean . 

.  310 

.  485 

.  310  . 

.280 

It  must  be  remembered  that  these  values  are  purely  theoretical,  and 
are  not  given  as  the  probable  freight  rates;  but  they  are  believed  to 
be  proportional  to  the  latter  and  may,  therefore,  be  taken  as  relative 
measures  of  the  cost  of  transport  proper  for  the  waterways  compared. 

The  table  shows  that  the  cost  of  transport  proper  on  the  21-foot 
waterway  is  the  same  for  domestic  traffic  as  on  the  30-foot  waterway. 
For  foreign  traffic  the  30-foot  waterway  shows  a  much  lower  cost  of 
transport  than  the  21-foot  waterway. 

Traffic  capacity. — The  maximum  annual  traffic  capacity  of  the  21- 
foot  waterway  (when  the  single-lift  locks  are  duplicated)  is  estimated 
at  36,319,500  net  tons,  and  that  of  the  30-foot  waterway  at  34,903,000 
net  tons,  the  traffic  on  the  smaller  waterway  being  greater  than  that 
on  the  larger  one  owing  to  the  difference  in  time  expended  in  lockage. 

Speed. — The  average  speed  on  the  21-foot,  waterway  is  10.67  miles 
per  hour.  The  average  speed  on  the  30-foot  waterway  is  10  miles  per 
hour. 

Adaptability  to  traffic  conditions. — Our  vessel  No.  I,  which  is  the 
type  vessel  adopted  for  the  21-foot  waterway,  has  a  draft  of  19  feet, 
and  can  enter  all  the  important  lake  harbors  as  well  as  navigate  along 
the  seacoast.  It  is  therefore  much  better  adapted  to  domestic  traffic 
than  vessel  No.  7,  the  type  vessel  for  the  30-foot  waterway,  since  the 
latter  has  a  draft  of  27  feet  and  can  not  enter  the  lake  harbors.  The 
smaller  vessel  is  not  so  well  adapted  to  deep-sea  navigation  as  the 
larger  one. 

Regularity  of  service. — In  the  30-foot  waterway  navigation  would 
be  freer,  and  for  smaller  vessels  a  little  more  rapid  than  in  the  21-foot 
waterway,  and  there  would  be  less  danger  of  delay  from  accidents  and 
crowding.  The  time  required  for  vessel  No.  1  to  make  a  single  trip 
from  Duluth  to  New  York  on  the  30-foot  waterway  is  six  days  and 
three  hours,  while  the  same  journey  on  the  21-foot  waterway  would 
require  two  hours  longer. 

Influence  on  railway  rates. — As  both  waterways  furnish  low  rates 
for  large  traffic  volumes,  there  seems  to  be  little  choice  between  them 
in  this  respect. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


273 


Outlet  for  the  lake  fleet. — Even  should  a  30-foot  waterway  he  estab¬ 
lished  between  the  lakes  and  the  sea,  it  is  probable  that  the  number 
of  vessels  of  large  draft  in  the  lake  service  would  be  comparatively 
small,  since  such  vessels  could  not  enter  most  of  the  lake  harbors,  and 
would  be  adapted  only  to  through  and  principally  foreign  traffic.  The 
21-foct  waterway  would  therefore  be  practically  as  good  as  the  30-foot 
waterway  as  a  means  of  access  to  the  sea  for  the  lake  fleet. 

Route  for  ships  of  war. — In  the  very  improbable  event  of  a  war  with 
Great  Britain,  every  large  ship  of  war  possessed  by  this  country  would 
be  required  on  the  high  sea.  Such  vessels  would  be  unnecessary  on 
the  lakes,  since  the  greatest  depth  of  the  Canadian  waterways  is  only 
14  feet.  For  purposes  of  naval  defense,  the  21-foot  waterway  appears 
to  offer  ample  facilities. 

Shipbuilding. — The  30-foot  waterway  would  enable  the  shipbuilders 
of  the  lakes  to  construct  seagoing  vessels  of  the  largest  size  both  for 
commercial  and  naval  purposes.  With  the  21-foot  waterway  this 
industry  must  be  restricted  to  the  construction  of  vessels  of  not  too 
great  dimensions  to  pass  the  locks. 

CONCLUSION. 

As  the  result  of  this  investigation,  it. appears  that  the  21-foot  water¬ 
way  promises  a  much  greater  return  of  value  relatively  to  its  cost  than 
the  30-foot  waterway.  The  main  advantages  of  the  30-foot  waterway 
are  that  it  would  furnish  the  lowest  cost  of  transport  proper  to  for¬ 
eign  markets  and  permit  the  construction  of  the  largest  seagoing  ves¬ 
sels  on  the  lakes. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

C.  W .  Raymond, 

Lieutenant-Colonel ,  Corps  of  Engineers. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  0. 

LAKE  ERIE  REGULATION. 

The  act  of  Congress  providing  for  a  board  of  engineers  on  deep 
waterways  requires  that  surveys  and  examinations  be  made  on  which 
to  mature  a  project  for  controlling  the  level  of  Lake  Erie,  as  recom¬ 
mended  by  the  report  of  the  Deep  Waterways  Commission,  transmitted 
by  the  President  to  Congress  January  18,  1897.  In  compliance  with 
this  requirement,  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  for  the  consideration  of 
the  board  the  following  discussion  of  lake  levels,  with  plans  and  esti¬ 
mates  of  cost  of  regulating  works  designed  for  the  purpose  of  main¬ 
taining  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  near  its  high-water  stage  during  the 
navigation  season. 

II.  Doc.  149- 


18 


274 


DKEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  regulation  of  the  level  of  a  lake  implies  the  maintenance  of  its 
surface  at  or  near  some  fixed  stage,  to  accomplish  which  the  discharge 
must  be  so  controlled  that  it  will  be  at  all  times  approximately  equal 
to  the  difference  bet  ween  the  supply  of  water  to  the  lake  and  the  evapo¬ 
ration  from  the  surface. 

In  the  Great  Lakes  system  the  watershed  is  about  2.4  times  the  area 
of  the  lake  surfaces,  and  since  the  variation  in  the  annual  precipitation 
on  the  entire  basin  is  approximately  50  per  cent  of  the  rainfall  for  a 
minimum  year,  and  as  the  per  cent  of  run-off  from  the  watershed 
increases  rapidly  with  increase  of  precipitation,  it  is  probable  that  the 
actual  supply  for  years  of  maximum  rainfall  is  more  than  double  that 
for  years  of  minimum  rainfall. 

The  surfaces  of  Lakes  Michigan  and  Huron  rise  and  fall  at  times  at 
the  rate  of  two-thirds  of  a  foot  per  month,  corresponding  to  a  change 
of  reservoir  supply  of  320,000  cubic  feet  per  second.  Assuming  the 
discharge  of  the  St.  Clair  River  to  be  190,000  cubic  feet  per  second 
at  the  time  that  these  changes  occur,1  it  is  evident  that  when  the  lakes 
are  rising  the  supply  at  times  exceeds  510,000  cubic  feet  per  second, 
and  when  falling  the  supply  becomes  130,000  cubic  feet  per  second 
less  than  the  evaporation  from  the  lake  surface,  making  the  actual 
supply  a  negative  quantity. 

It  is  apparent,  therefore,  that  with  the  evaporation  from  the  lake 
surfaces  at  times  largely  in  excess  of  total  supply — which  supply, 
including  evaporation,  has  a  range  of  over  600,000  cubic  feet  per 
second — any  attempt  to  maintain  the  level  of  Lakes  Huron  and 
Michigan  at  a  fixed  stage  would  necessarily  be  a  failure. 

The  storage  capacity  of  Lake  Superior  amounts  to  28,000  cubic  feet 
per  second  annually  for  each  foot  in  depth  on  the  lake  surface,  and 
since  the  time  of  maximum  discharge  into  Lake  Huron  is  that  when 
a  large  supply  is  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  the  level  of  Lakes 
Huron  and  Michigan,  it  is  apparent  that  any  material  modification  of 
the  range  of  water  levels  of  Lake  Superior  would  be  an  injury  to  the 
entire  waterway  system,  and  therefore  the  natural  conditions  on  that 
lake  should  be  maintained. 

The  storage  of  water  in  Lakes  Superior,  Michigan,  and  Huron,  and 
the  consequent  fluctuations  of  the  levels  of  those  lakes,  is  absolutely 
essential  for  the  maintenance  of  a  flowthrough  the  connecting  water¬ 
ways  sufficiently  uniform  for  navigation  purposes.  While  absolute 
regulation  of  the  level  of  these  lakes  is  an  impossibility,  a  decrease  of 
the  fluctuations  may  be  permissible,  and  will  be  considered  elsewhere 
in  connection  with  the  indirect  effect  of  the  regulation  of  the  level  of 
Lake  Erie  on  the  depths  of  connecting  waterways. 

1  The  discharge  of  the  St.  Clair  River  is  approximate,  but  is  probably  about 
190,000  cubic  feet  per  second  for  mean  stages  of  Lakes  Huron  and  St.  Clair.  The 
volume  of  discharge  depends  upon  the  level  of  both  Lake  Huron  aud  Lake  St. 
Clair,  and  is  not  constant  for  a  given  stage  of  the  former. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


275 


The  large  areas  of  the  water  surfaces  of  the  upper  lakes  serve  as  stor¬ 
age  reservoirs  during  years  of  surplus  rainfall  on  the  lake  basins,  from 
which  it  is  gradually  discharged  through  the  outlets  during  years  of 
less  than  average  precipitation.  A  variation  in  level  of  1  foot  for 
Lakes  Superior,  Huron,  and  Michigan  is  equivalent  to  a  change  in 
actual  supply  of  68,300  cubic  feet  per  second  for  an  entire  year.  The 
average  rainfall  on  the  lake  basins  tributary  to  Lake  Erie  is  31.64 
inches  per  year,  and  is  equivalent  to  618,000  cubic  feet  per  second  for 
the  same  period,  of  which,  approximately,  340,000  cubic  feet  per 
second  either  falls  on  or  flows  into  the  lakes,  and  278,000  is  either 
absorbed  into  the  land  on  which  it  falls  or  is  evaporated  from  vegeta¬ 
tion  and  surfaces  of  ponds,  streams,  and  marshes.  About  120,000 
cubic  feet  per  second  of  the  average  annual  supply  to  the  lake  reser¬ 
voir  system  is  taken  up  by  evaporation  and  220,000  cubic  feet  per 
second  discharged  through  the  Niagara  River. 

The  run-off  and  evaporation  are  approximate  quantities  and  are 
based  on  the  result  of  observations  made  where  the  conditions  were 
somewhat  similar  to  those  of  the  lake  basin.  So  far  as  this  discussion 
is  concerned,  a  knowledge  of  the  absolute  values  of  these  quantities  is 
not  necessary,  as  the  relation  of  net  supply  and  storage  to  the  flow 
through  the  connecting  waterways  is  so  apparent  that  the  approximate 
values  used  are  sufficiently  accurate  to  show  the  limits  within  which 
the  storage  capacity  of  the  reservoir  system  may  be  modified  without 
material  injury  to  the  navigable  channels.  The  evaporation  is  to  a 
great  extent  a  function  of  the  temperature  of  the  air  and  water,  and 
of  the  force  of  the  wind,  and  may  differ  materially  from  results 
obtained  at  experimental  observation  stations. 

The  Rochester  observations  indicate  that  the  evaporation  for  Lake 
Erie  is  probably  30  to  36  inches  annually,  while  on  Lake  Superior  the 
best  data  available  indicates  that  the  evaporation  is  less  than  one-half 
this  amount. 

The  amount  of  water  which  the  ground  of  any  given  watershed  will 
absorb  is  about  the  same  for  each  year,  provided  the  supply  is  ade¬ 
quate,  and  therefore  the  run-off  from  watershed  is  a  function  of  the 
difference  between  the  precipitation  and  the  amount  absorbed,  and 
not  a  direct  percentage  of  the  average  rainfall  for  a  series  of  years. 

The  annual  precipitation  on  the  Lakes  Huron-Michigan  basin  varies 
from  27  to  40  inches,  while  the  average  absorption  on  the  watershed 
is  about  22  inches,  from  which  it  will  be  seen  that  the  run-off  during 
a  wet  year  might  be  from  two  to  three  times  that  for  a  dry  year,  or  a 
volume  equivalent  to  over  3  feet  in  depth  on  the  entire  lake  surfaces. 
This  supply  will  not,  however,  produce  a  rise  of  3  feet,  for  the  reason 
that  the  volume  of  discharge  through  the  outlets  increases  rapidly 
with  increase  of  stage  in  the  lakes.  The  maximum  change  of  stage 
for  any  one  year  on  Lakes  Superior,  Michigan,  Huron,  and  Erie  does 
not  exceed  2.25  feet,  while  the  extreme  change  during  any  series  of 
years  is  about  twice  that  amount. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


27  (i 

This  extreme  change  of  level  fixes  the  maximum  stage  necessary 
for  taking  care  of  t lie  flood  waters  of  the  lake  basins  during  a  series 
of  wet  years,  and  the  minimum  limit  which  can  be  fixed  for  the  fluctua¬ 
tion  of  any  lake  is  that  which  will  permit  sufficient  storage  to  insure 
an  adequate  flow  for  navigation  through  the  connecting  waterway 
during  any  series  of  dry  years  which  are  likely  to  occur. 

The  following  table  gives  the  area  of  the  surfaces  of  the  Great  Lakes 
and  watersheds,  as  determined  by  the  best  authorities: 


Authority. 

Area  of 
watershed. 

Lake— 

L.  Y.  Scher- 
merhorn. 

L.  E.  Cooley. 

T.  Russell. 

Sq.  m  iles. 
31,200 

Sq.  m  ties. 
31,800 

S 'q.  m  iles. 
32.060 

Sq.  miles. 

48, 600 

Michigan . . . . 

22,  450 

22, 400 

22.  :136 

45, 7(H) 

23,800 

23,200 

22, 978 

52, 100 

495 

503 

6,320 

Erie  ..  .  ..  . . . 

9.960 

7,240 

10,000 

9. 968 

24.480 

Ontario . . . . 

7,450 

7,243 

25,530 

The  values  given  by  Mr.  Cooley  have  been  used  in  this  discussion 
with  the  exception  of  that  for  Lake  Erie,  the  area  of  which  has  been 
redetermined  in  this  office  and  found  to  be  9,932  square  miles. 

The  average  annual  rainfall  on  the  lake  basins,  as  furnished  by  the 
United  States  Weather  Bureau,  is  as  follows: 

Inches. 


Lake  Superior  _ . . . . . . .  28 

Lake  Michigan  . . ... . . . . . . 33 

Lake  Huron . . . . . . . . 32 

Lake  St.  Clair . .  . . . .. . . .  . .  35 

Lake  Erie  . .  . . . . . . . . . . .  . 36 

Lake  Ontario .  . . . . . . .  33 


Assuming  the  run-off  from  the  watersheds  for  a  year  of  average 
precipitation  to  be  42  per  cent  for  Lake  Superior  and  33  per  cent  for 
Lakes  Michigan,  Huron,  and  Erie,  the  distribution  of  the  flow  through 


the  waterway  system  will  be,  approximately,  as  follows: 

Lake  Superior  (area  of  watershed  1.53  times  area  of  lake  surface):  Depth  on  lake. 

Rainfall  on  lake  surface .  . feet..  2. 33 

Run-off  from  watershed . . do _ 1. 50 

Total  supply . . . . . . . do...  3.83 


Evaporation  from  lake  surface . .‘ . . . do _ 1.25 

Discharge  through  St.  Marys  River  (72,000  cubic  feet  per  second)  ..do. ..  2.  58 

Total . . . .do...  3.83 

Lakes  Michigan  and  Huron  (area  of  watershed  2. 15  times  the  area  of  lake  surfaces) : 

Depth  on  lakes. 

Rainfall  on  lake  surfaces . . . .  . . . feet..  2.7 

Run-off  from  watershed . . . . . . .  do...  1. 9 

Inflow  from  St.  Marys  River  (72,000  cubic  feet  per  second) . ..do...  1.8 


Total  supply . . . . .  do...  6.4 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


277 


Lakes  Michigan  and  Huron — Continued.  Depth  on  lakes. 

Evaporation  from  lake  surfaces  . . . feet..  1.7 

Discharge  through  St.  Clair  River  (190,000  cubic  feet  per  second) .  .do _  4.7 


Total  . . . . . . . do _  6.4 

Lake  Erie  (area  of  watershed  2.46  times  area  of  lake  surface):  Depth  on  lake. 

Rainfall  on  lake  surface . . - . . feet..  3.0 

Run-off  from  watershed _ _ _ ._ _ _ do...  2.5 

Inflow  from  Detroit  River  (195.000  cubic  feet  per  second) . do _ 22.2 


Total  supply . . . . . .do _ 27.7 


Evaporation  from  lake  surface . . . . do _  2.6 

Discharge  through  Niagara  River  (220,000  cubic  feet  per  second).. do _ 25.1 


Total. . . . . . .  . . _.do.__  27.7 


The  variation  in  the  annual  rainfall  on  the  lake  system  amounts  to 
12  inches  over  the  entire  basin  and  is  equivalent  to  a  depth  of  27  feet 
over  the  surface  of  Lake  Erie,  whereas  the  maximum  storage  which 
has  occurred  in  any  one  vear  on  Lake  Erie  only  amounted  to  2.16  feet 
in  depth,  with  an  average  of  1.17  feet,  or  less  than  5  per  cent  of  the 
mean  discharge  of  the  Niagara  River,  and  only  one  twenty-third  of 
the  total  variation  of  the  annual  rainfall  on  the  drainage  basin  tribu¬ 
tary  to  the  lake. 

EFFECT  ON  LEVEL  OF  LAKE  ONTARIO  AND  ST.  LAWRENCE  RIVER. 

To  regulate  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  so  as  to  maintain  its  surface  near 
some  fixed  plane  of  reference  will  require  such  control  of  the  outflow 
through  Niagara  River  that  the  storage  which  would  naturally  occur 
in  the  lake  will  be  discharged  during  tin*  first  half  of  the  year  and  the 
outflow  be  diminished  a  like  amount  during  the  last  half  of  the  year. 
This  modification  of  outflow  will  not  materially  change  the  total  vol¬ 
ume  of  discharge  for  any  entire  year,  and  will  amount  to  only  one-fifth 
of  the  variation  of  discharge  of  the  river  for  different  years  under 
present  conditions. 

The  effect  of  this  modification  of  flowthrough  Niagara  River  on  the 
level  of  Lake  Ontario  will  be  to  slightly  increase  the  rate  of  rise  in 
the  spring  and  make  the  date  of  maximum  stage  a  little  earlier. 

No  reliable  data  exist  from  which  the  increment  of  discharge  of  the 
St.  Lawrence  River  for  1-foot  change  of  stage  can  be  determined,  but 
since  the  average  annual  fluctuation  of  the  lake  is  30  percent  greater 
than  for  Lake  Erie,  while  the  area  of  surface  is  only  25  per  cent  less 
than  that  of  Lake  Erie,  it  is  evident  the  increment  for  the  St.  Law¬ 
rence  does  not  differ  much  from  that  of  the  Niagara,  a  condition  which 
would  have  a  tendency  to  make  any  change  of  levels  due  to  modified 
inflow  very  small. 


278 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  following  table  shows  the  stage  and  rise  of  Lake  Ontario  from 
January  to  June,  and  the  inflow  from  Niagara  River  each  year  since 
I860:1 


Year. 

Elevation  in — 

Rise. 

Average 
inflow 
from  Niag¬ 
ara  River. 
January  to 
July,  per 
second. 

Elevation  in — 

Rise. 

Average 
inflow 
from  Niag¬ 
ara  River, 
January  to 
July,  per 
second. 

January. 

June. 

Year. 

January. 

June. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Cubic  feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Cubic  feet . 

1865 . 

247. 17 

247.  75 

0.58 

212. 388 

1882 . 

245.82 

247. 62 

1.80 

245, 758 

1866 . 

5.55 

6.01 

.  45 

212.818 

1883  . 

5. 41 

7.58 

2. 17 

227, 523 

1867 . 

6.04 

8. 57 

2  53 

222,805 

1884  _ 

6. 60 

8. 18 

1.58 

243,  :?56 

1868  . 

4.  60 

2.  03 

208,909 

1885  . 

6. 23 

7.53 

1.30 

223,576 

i860 

5. 31 

1.75 

212, 885 

1886  ... 

7.69 

8.53 

.84 

239  381 

1870 _ 

7.35 

8.72 

1.37 

237. 676 

1887  . 

6.26 

8.25 

1.99 

245, 243 

1871 . 

6. 15 

7. 15 

1.00 

224, 819 

1888  _ 

5.53 

6. 37 

.84 

217,906 

1872 

4.82 

5.38 

197,013 

1889 

5.  71 

1.01 

214  043 

1873 . 

4.40 

7.01 

2.61 

208. 451 

1890  _ 

6.34 

8.25 

1.91 

232, 920 

1874 . 

6.44 

7.35 

.91 

235.603 

1891 . 

6. 28 

6.92 

.64 

216,876 

1875 

4.82 

5. 96 

1.  11 

204,  366 

1892  . 

4.60 

5.90 

1.30 

202, 288 

1876 

5. 40 

8.39 

2.99 

247,328 

189  i . 

4. 96 

2.50 

207, 470 

1877.... 

5.  98 

t;  52 

.54 

223.  787 

1894  . 

5.65 

6.89 

1.24 

208, 594 

1878 . 

5. 57 

7.06 

1.49 

237, 887 

1895  . 

4.58 

4.97 

.39 

189,048 

1879 

6.90 

6.  92 

.02 

220,832 

1896  . . 

3. 89 

5. 43 

1 . 54 

189. 141 

188(1 

5  41 

6.  60 

1.  19 

2/5.757 

1897 . 

3. 97 

5.71 

1.74 

203, 471 

1881 _ 

4.83 

6.30 

1.47 

216. 054 

1898  . 

4.73 

6.22 

1.49 

211,834 

Comparing  the  water  level  of  Lake  Erie  for  1876  with  that  for  1895, 
it  will  be  seen  from  table  on  page  28 7  that  the  actual  supply  to  Lake 
Erie  varies  by  50  per  cent  of  that  for  a  minimum  year,  and  that  the 
discharge  of  the  Niagara  River  varies  30  per  cent  for  extreme  stages 
of  the  lake.  If  an  absolute  variation  of  30  per  cent  of  the  supply  to 
Lake  Ontario  from  the  Niagara  River  does  not  produce  any  serious 
results,  a  change  of  5  per  cent  of  the  flow  from  the  first  to  the  last 
half  of  the  year  would  certainly  have  no  material  effect  on  depth  of 
waterways. 

On  plate  81  a  curve  showing  the  level  of  Lake  Ontario  since  1865 
has  been  platted  from  the  monthly  mean  elevations  of  the  lake,  and 
another  curve  showing  the  monthly  inflow  from  the  Niagara  River,  in 
which  the  unit  of  the  ordinates  represent  the  number  of  cubic  feet  per 
second  necessary  to  raise  the  level  of  the  lake  1  foot  in  one  month. 

Assuming  the  discharge  through  the  Niagara  and  St.  Lawrence 
rivers  at  any  given  time  to  be  approximately  the  same,  the  monthly 
difference  of  ordinates  of  Niagara  discharge  curve  will  represent  the 
effect  of  the  change  of  volume  of  inflow  on  the  level  of  the  lake,  and 
the  difference  in  the  ordinates  of  the  two  curves  will  represent  the 
excess  of  local  supply  over  evaporation  when  the  lake  is  rising,  and 
the  excess  of  evaporation  over  local  supply  when  the  lake  is  falling. 
It  is  very  evident,  both  from  table  and  from  the  curves,  that  any  small 
modification  of  the  flow  of  the  Niagara  which  does  not  materially 
increase  or  diminish  the  total  annual  discharge  through  the  river  can 
not  affect  the  depths  of  the  Lake  Ontario  and  St.  Lawrence  River 
waterways  to  any  material  extent. 


'All  elevations  given  in  this  report  are  referred  to  mean  tide  at  New  York  and 
are  based  on  the  elevation  of  bench  mark  at  Gtreenbush,  N.  Y.,  which  is  14.73  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


279 


If  it  should  he  found  desirable  to  control  the  discharge  of  Ihe  St. 
Lawrence  River  within  such  limits  as  to  reduce  the  fluctuation  of  5.5 
feet  on  Lake  Ontario,  under  present  conditions,  to  one-half  that 
amount  or  less,  it  can  be  easily  and  cheaply  accomplished  by  regu¬ 
lating  works  at  the  head  of  the  Galop  Rapids. 

The  St.  Lawrence  River  above  the  Galop  Rapids  is  of  large  cross- 
section  and  lias  nearly  the  same  slope  for  all  stages  of  the  river. 

At  the  head  of  Galop  Island  the  river  separates  into  two  main 
channels,  with  heavy  rapids  in  each.  The  channel  on  the  north  side 
of  the  river  can  be  enlarged  at  the  head  of  the  rapids  and  provided 
with  regulating  works,  which  would  greatly  reduce  the  annual  fluctu¬ 
ation  of  the  lake  levels. 

The  physical  features  and  conditions  at  this  locality  are  discussed 
in  report  on  the  St.  Lawrence  River  surveys. 

EFFECT  ON  THE  CONNECTING  WATERWAYS  OF  THE  UPPER  LAKES. 

The  effect  on  the  Lake  Ontario  and  St.  Lawrence  River  waterways 
which  would  arise  from  the  control  of  the  outflow  of  the  Niagara 
River  would  be  practically  that  due  to  distributing  about  5  per  cent 
of  the  inflow  from  the  Niagara  River  over  a  different  portion  of  the 
year  than  under  natural  conditions,  but  the  effect  of  Lake  Erie  regu¬ 
lation  on  levels  of  Lake  Michigan,  Lake  Huron,  St.  Clair  and  Detroit 
rivers  will  be  of  an  entirely  different  nature,  arising  from  the  fact 
that  the  low-water  levels  will  be  permanently  raised,  the  river  slopes 
decreased  for  any  given  volume  of  discharge,  and  a  redistribution  of 
the  flow  due  to  a  greater  variation  of  the  St.  Clair  River  slopes  than 
those  arising  from  the  natural  change  of  lake  levels. 

The  average  annual  fluctuation  of  Lake  Erie  is  greater  than  that  of 
Lake  Huron,  and  consequently  tin*  slope  of  the  connecting  waterway 
is  greater  for  the  low-water  stages  of  the  lakes  than  at  high  stages,  a 
condition  causing  a  greater  low-water  discharge  and  a  smaller  high- 
water  discharge,  through  the  St.  Clair  and  Detroit  rivers,  than  would 
be  the  case  with  the  surface  of  Lake  Erie  regulated  at  some  fixed 
elevation. 

During  the  season  of  navigation  the  fall  of  the  St.  Clair  and  Detroit 
rivers  has  an  average  annual  variation  of  less  than  0.50  foot  each, with 
a  total  variation  between  Lake  Huron  and  Lake  Erie  of  about  1  foot, 
from  which  it  is  apparent  that,  the  variation  of  the  outflow  from  Lake 
Huron  is  largely  a  function  of  the  change  in  area  of  cross-section 
of  outlet,  due  to  change  of  stage. 

During  the  winter  season  the  freezing  over  of  the  St.  Clair  River 
diminishes  the  flow  into  Lake  St.  Clairtosuch  an  extent  that  the  level 
of  that  lake  usually  falls  considerably  with  reference  to  both  Lake 
Huron  and  Lake  Erie,  making  an  abnormally  steep  slope  in  the  St. 
Clair  and  a  very  low  slope  in  the  Detroit  River.  (See  plate  s:j.) 


280 


✓ 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 

Previous  to  1880  the  average  fall  from  Lake  Huron  to  Lake  Erie 
was  9.2  feet,  after  which  date  the  slope  gradually  diminished  until 
1890,  since  which  time  it  has  had  an  average  of  8.8  feet.  This  decrease 
of  slope  was  caused  by  the  deepening  of  the  river  channels  at  the 
St.  Clair  Flats  and  at  the  Limekiln  Crossing  by  the  Government,  and 
by  the  great  increase  from  natural  causes  in  depth  and  cross-section 
of  the  St.  Clair  River  through  the  rapids  at  the  outlet  of  Lake  Huron. 

A  survey  made  at  the  request  of  this  board  in  December,  1898,  by 
a  party  under  the  direction  of  Lieut.  Col.  G.  J.  Lydecker,  Corps  of 
Engineers,  United  States  Army,  shows  that  the  gorge  at  the  head  of 
the  river  now  lias  a  central  deptli  of  66  feet  and  a  cross-section 
of  86,000  square  feet,  whereas  at  the  date  of  previous  survey,  in  1867, 
the  central  depth  was  only  48  feet  and  the  cross-section  80,000  square 
feet.  While  there  are  no  records  to  show  when  the  deepening  of 
channel  through  the  rapids  occurred,  a  study  of  the  water  levels  and 
slope  curves  shown  on  plate  83  indicates  that  the  erosion  was  probably 
started  in  the  spring  of  1886  by  the  abnormal  fall  (7.5  feet)  of  the  St. 
Clair  River  at  that  time. 

The  average  fall  of  the  surfaces  of  the  rivers  previous  to  1886  and 
since  1889  was  as  follows: 


St.  Clair 
River. 

Detroit 
River  and 
St.  Clair 
Flats  Canal. 

1873  to  1886.. . . . 

Feet. 

5. 7 
5.0 

Feet. 

3.5 
3  3 

1889  to  1898 . 

Decrease  in  slope _ _ 

.  7 

•> 

It  is  probable  the  0.7-foot  decrease  of  slope  in  the  St.  Clair  is  due  to 
the  change  of  cross-section  through  the  rapids  at  the  head  of  the  river, 
and  that  the  0.2-foot  change  of  slope  in  the  Detroit  River  and  St.  Clair 
Flats  is  due  to  the  increased  depth  of  channels  from  Government 
improvements. 

To  determine  what  the  effect  of  change  of  stage  in  Lakes  Huron  and 
Ei  •ie  has  upon  the  slopes  of  the  connecting  waterway  a  line  of  precise 
levels  was  run,  under  the  direction  of  this  board,  from  Lake  Erie  to 
Lake  Huron,  and  connections  made  with  15  different  gauges  at  critical 
points  on  the  rivers,  which  were  read  simultaneously  for  a  week  at 
two  different  periods,  when  the  stage  of  the  lakes  had  a  difference  of 
0.66  foot. 

The  profiles  of  these  slopes  are  shown  on  plate  82,  which,  in  connec¬ 
tion  with  curve  of  the  monthly  mean  slopes  of  the  Detroit  and  St.  Clair 
rivers  from  1873  to  1898,  shown  on  plate  83  indicate  that  if  the  low-water 
stage  of  Lake  Erie  be  raised  and  maintained  3  feet  above  its  natural 
elevation  the  corresponding  low-water  stage  of  Lake  St.  Clair  would 
be  raised  2  feet  and  that  of  Lake  Huron  1  foot,  making  the  resulting 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


281 


low  stage  for  Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan  approximately  what  it  was 
before  being  lowered  by  the  deepening  of  the  river  channels.  A  rise 
of  0.66  foot  in  both  Lake  Huron  and  Lake  Erie  produced  0.56-foot 
rise  in  Lake  St.  Clair,  with  a  largely  increased  volume  of  discharge 
through  the  waterway. 

If  the  change  of  level  in  Lake  St.  Clair  had  been  produced  by  raising 
the  level  of  Lake  Erie  without  changing  the  volume  of  flow,  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  former  would  have  been  raised  only  0.45  foot,  or  a  change 
of  3  feet  iu  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  by  regulation  will  raise  the  level  of 
Lake  St.  Clair  2  feet.  An  increase  of  3  feet  in  the  low- water  level  of 
Lake  Erie  would  wipe  out  the  entire  fall  now  existing  in  the  Detroit 
River  for  that  stage,  and  the  level  of  Lake  St.  Clair  would  rise  until 
the  slope  and  cross-section  of  the  Detroit  River  was  sufficient  to  main¬ 
tain  the  low- water  discharge,  which  existing  data  indicate  would  be 
about  2  feet. 

If  the  low-water  stage  of  Lake  St.  Clair  should  be  increased  2  feet, 
the  flow  of  the  St.  Clair  River  would  be  diminished  to  such  an  extent 
that  Lake  Huron  would  rise  1  foot  before  the  normal  low- water  flow 
would  be  established. 

The  increase  of  the  cross  section  of  the  Det  roit  River  for  the  regu¬ 
lated  stage  over  that  at  its  natural  low- water  stage  would  be  such  that 
two-thirds  of  the  low-water  slope  would  be  sufficient  to  produce  approx¬ 
imately  the  same  volume  of  flow  in  each  case.  The  total  variation  of 
slope  would  still  be  about  1  foot,  as  under  present  conditions,  and 
would  limit  the  fluctuation  of  Lake  St.  Clair  to  the  same  amount. 

The  total  variation  of  the  slope  of  the  St.  Clair  River  when  not 
atfected  by  ice  is  about  1  foot,  and  since  the  cross  section  of  the  pro¬ 
posed  regulated  waterway  would  be  greater  than  at  the  natural  low- 
water  stage,  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  the  slopes  necessary  to  produce 
the  same  annual  volumes  of  discharge  as  in  the  past  will  be  less,  and 
taken  in  connection  with  the  fact  that  Lake  St.  Clair  will  have  a  fluc¬ 
tuation  of  about  1  foot,  would  indicate  that  the  levels  of  Lakes  Michi¬ 
gan  and  Huron  will  seldom  have  a  variation  of  2  feet,  except  in  years 
of  excessive  rainfall  on  the  lake  basin,  when  the  natural  high-water 
stage  would  likely  be  reached.  But  since  the  deepening  of  the  chan¬ 
nels  of  the  Detroit  and  St.  Clair  rivers  has  permanently  lowered  the 
levels  of  Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan  by  about  1  foot  for  all  similar 
conditions  of  supply  and  discharge,  the  high-water  stage  of  those  lakes 
for  the  future  will  be  at  least  a  foot  lower  than  for  similar  seasons 
previous  to  1890.  The  regulation  of  Lake  Erie  will,  therefore,  raise 
the  present  low- water  stage  of  Lakes  Michigan  and  Huron  by  about  1 
foot  and  diminish  the  fluctuation  of  the  levels  the  same  amount. 

The  slope  of  the  St.  Clair  River  and  the  resulting  discharge  will  be 
less  in  winter  under  the  proposed  conditions  than  at  present.  This, 
however,  only  applies  to  the  ice  period  on  the  St.  Clair  River. 

Under  present  conditions  the  slope  of  the  waterway  from  Lake 


282 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Huron  to  Lake  Erie  decreases  slightly  as  the  lakes  rise  but  with  the 
level  of  Lake  Erie  maintained  at  a  fixed  stage  the  slope  would  vary 
with  the  stage  of  water  in  Lake  Huron,  and  consequently  the  discharge 
would  become  a  function  of  the  hydraulic  head  at  t  he  outlet  of  the  lake, 
a  condition  requisite  for  taking  care  of  a  maximum  variation  of  supply 
to  the  lake  reservoirs  with  a  minimum  fluctuation  of  the  surfaces. 

The  area  of  Lake  Erie  is  so  small  compared  with  that  of  Lakes 
Superior,  Huron,  and  Michigan  that  its  reservoir  capacity  is  only  one- 
ninth  that  of  the  upper  lake  system  and  if  eliminated  from  the  system 
by  regulation  the  storage  capacity  remaining  would  be  ample  to  main¬ 
tain  the  connecting  waterways  so  that  the  low-water  stages  would 
always  be  3  feet  higher  in  Lake  Erie,  2  feet  in  Lake  St.  Clair,  and  1 
foot  in  Lake  Huron  than  it  is  under  the  present  conditions. 

If  tin*  channel  from  Lake  Huron  to  Lake  Erie  should  be  made  30  feet 
deep,  the  cross  section  of  the  waterway  would  be  increased  600  square 
feet  at  the  shallow  places  for  each  foot  in  depth  that  the  channel  is 
deepened  at  the  respective  shoals,  which  would  decrease  the  slope 
requisite  for  any  given  volume  of  flow  and  slightly  lower  tin*  low- 
water  plane  for  both  Lake  Huron  and  Lake  St.  Clair. 

The  portion  of  the  waterway  over  which  this  improvement  would  be 
distributed  is  comparatively  short,  and  the  total  reduction  of  fall 
between  the  two  lakes  would  probably  be  less  than  0.3  foot,  but  is  not 
susceptible  of  exact  determination. 

REGULATION  OF  LAKE  ERIE. 

To  determine  the  limits  within  which  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  is  sus¬ 
ceptible  of  being  controlled  by  properly  const  ructed  regulating  works, 
the  Board  has  caused  careful  surveys  and  examinations  to  be  made 
to  determine  the  topography,  hydrography,  and  character  of  material 
on  which  structures  would  have  to  be  founded  at  foot  of  the  lake  and 
in  the  head  of  Niagara  River,  and  a  long  series  of  observations  to 
establish  law  of  flow  for  the  discharge  through  Niagara  River  for  dif¬ 
ferent  stages  of  the  lake.  A  series  of  observations  has  also  been  made 
for  the  board  at  the  hydraulic  laboratory  of  Cornell  University,  by 
Prof.  Gardner  8.  Williams,  to  determine  the  coefficients  of  the  formula 
for  discharge  over  submerged  weirs  when  the  depth  of  water  on  crest 
of  weir  was  greater  than  that  for  which  the  coefficients  have  heretofore 
been  determined. 

The  two  different  plans  which  have  been  generally  advocated  for 
controlling  the  levels  of  the  lakes  are,  to  construct  a  dam,  with  regu¬ 
lating  sluices,  across  the  Niagara  River  below  Tonawanda,  N.  Y.,  or 
to  construct  a  submerged  weir  in  connection  with  a  set  of  regulating 
sluices  at  the  foot  of  the  lake,  just  below  Buffalo  Harbor. 

A  preliminary  study  of  the  problem  and  estimate  of  cost  of  regulat- 
ing  works,  based  on  these  surveys  and  examinations,  developed  the  fact 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


283 


that  the  first  of  these  plans  would  require  an  expensive  dam  with  lock 
and  waste  weirs  in  the  Niagara  River  on  each  side  of  Grand  Island,  the 
excavation  of  over  5,000,000  cubic  yards  of  material  in  the  head  of  t  he 
river,  the  purchase  of  at  least  #0,000,000  worth  of  property  which 
would  be  ruined  by  the  works  and  high  water  along  the  river  front, 
and  the  construction  of  several  miles  of  dikes  to  safely  maintain  t  he 
impounded  water  above  the  level  of  adjacent  country.  The  distance 
from  Lake  Erie  to  the  site  where  dam  would  have  to  be  constructed  is 
12  miles,  on  which  the  high-water  slope  of  the  river  is  about  8.5  feet. 
With  the  river  improved  by  regulating  works  and  enlarged  cross 
section  of  channel  through  the  gorge,  this  high-water  slope  would  be 
reduced  to  about  2.5  feet  and  the  low-water  slope  to  1.5  feet,  making 
the  fluctuation  of  the  lake  due  to  change  of  slope  in  river  for  different 
volumes  of  discharge  approximately  1  foot,  which  would  be  increased 
0.5  foot  by  change  in  velocity  head  at  foot  of  lake,  or  a  total  probable 
fluctuation  of  1.5  feet  when  the  discharge  of  river  is  controlled  by 
regulating  works  for  maintaining  the  river  at  a  fixed  stage  at  a  point 
12  miles  below  outlet  of  lake. 

The  total  cost  of  the  project,  including  damages  and  the  necessary 
drainage  channel  for  taking  care  of  Tonawanda  Creek  and  the  water 
from  adjacent  country,  would  be  over  #12,000,000,  which,  with  the 
fact  that  the  lake  would  still  have  considerable  fluctuation,  practically 
eliminates  all  chances  of  the  plan  receiving  favorable  consideration. 

If  a  deep  waterway  should  ever  be  constructed  from  Lake  Erie  to 
Lake  Ontario  via  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  route,  the  improvement  of 
the  river  by  regulating  works  below  Tonawanda  would  diminish  the 
cost  of  the  canal  about  #6,000,000,  which  would  still  leave  a  balance 
of  #0,000,000  chargeable  to  the  project. 

Regulation  of  the  lake  levels  by  means  of  controlling  works  in  the 
foot  of  Lake  Erie  will  require  either  a  submerged  weir  of  such  length 
that  the  change  of  discharge  over  crest  of  weir,  due  to  a  few  inches 
variation  of  stage  of  lake,  will  be  equivalent  to  a  variation  of  outflow 
through  the  gorge  at  the  head  of  the  river  due  to  3-foot  change  in 
depth  of  river,  or  a  short  submerged  weir  in  connection  with  a  set  of 
regulating  sluices  so  designed  that,  with  the  sluice  gates  all  closed,  the 
low- water  flow  for  the  regulated  stage  of  the  lake  will  be  discharged 
over  the  fixed  submerged  weir,  and  with  the  sluice  gates  all  open  the 
additional  volume  of  outflow  necessary  to  maintain  the  lake  at  nearly 
the  same  level  will  pass  through  the  sluices  at  times  when  the  lake  is 
receiving  its  maximum  supply. 

The  surveys  and  examinations  indicate  that  a  combination  of  a  fixed 
weir  and  regulating  sluices  is  better  adapted  for  an  economical  and 
complete  control  of  the  lake  level  than  by  means  of  a  fixed  weir,  and 
the  plans  and  estimates  submitted  are  for  such  a  project. 

In  order  to  properly  proportion  the  height  of  the  weir  and  the  width 
of  sluices,  and  determine  limits  within  which  such  works  will  control 


284 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


the  level  of  the  lake,  the  observations  for  determining  the  volume  of 
discharge  of  t lie  Niagara  River  were  made  for  as  many  different 
stages  of  the  lake  level  as  possible,  and  Ihe  following  equation  estab¬ 
lished,  showing  the  outflow  for  any  given  elevation  of  the  lake,  viz, 
Q  =  168, 812+ 17, 762  y+ 1,409  if. 

In  which  Q=the  volume  of  discharge  and  i/  =  the  elevation  of  the 
lake  at  Buffalo  in  excess  of  570  feet  above  tide  water;  dr  y=  stage  of 
lake— 570  feet. 

In  connection  with  the  direct  observations  made  to  determine  the 
outflow  from  the  lake  at  different  stages  continuous  readings  were 
made  with  gauges  from  which  the  slope  of  the  foot  of  the  lake  and  the 
river  surface  has  been  computed  for  the  corresponding  volumes  of 
discharge,  which,  with  the  carefully  measured  cross  sections  of  the  river 
shown  on  plate  84,  furnishes  a  check  on  the  equation  of  discharge  given 
above  and  shows  a  discrepancy  of  less  than  3  per  cent  for  maximum 
volume  of  outflow  used  in  this  discussion. 

It  has  been  found  from  an  examination  of  the  records  of  the  lake 
water  gauges  at  Buffalo,  Cleveland,  and  the  mouth  of  the  Detroit 
River  that  the  relative  elevations  of  the  gauges  have  been  incorrectly 
established,  and  that  the  zero  of  the  Cleveland  gauge  is  0.30  foot  high, 
relative  to  the  gauge  readings  at  Buffalo,  and  0.48  foot  high  as  com¬ 
pared  with  that  at  the  mouth  of  the  Detroit  River. 

There  is  some  uncertainty  in  regard  to  the  stability  of  the  gauge  at, 
Buffalo  previous  to  1896,  and  since  the  level  of  the  lake  is  least  affected 
by  winds  during  the  months  of  June,  July,  and  August,  the  compari¬ 
son  of  levels  at  Cleveland  and  Buffalo  is  based  on  the  gauge  readings 
for  these  months  during  1896,  1897,  and  1898,  which  are  as  follows: 


Elevation  of  lake. 


Date. 

Buffalo 

gauge. 

Cleveland 

gauge. 

Differ¬ 

ence. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

1896 . • . 

571.57 

572.01 

0.44 

1897 . . 

572. 23 

572.  tiU 

.43 

1898 . 

572.25 

572. 69 

.44 

Mean. . .  . . . . 

.44 

Correction  for  slope  in  foot  of  lake . . . . 

.13 

Zero  of  Cleveland  gauge  too  high . . . 

.31 

A  series  of  observations  was  made  with  gauges  established  in  the 
open  lake  outside  of  Buffalo  Harbor  during  July  and  August,  1898, 
which,  compared  with  the  record  of  the  Government  gauge  at  Cleve¬ 
land,  makes  the  zero  of  the  latter  gauge  0.30  foot  too  high,  relative  to 
the  elevation  of  the  lake  at  Buffalo,  which  amount  has  been  used  in 
computing  the  following  table  of  elevations  of  the  lake  from  Cleveland 
gauge  records: 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


285 


Monthly  mean  elevations  of  Lake  Erie  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  for  years  1865-1898, 

inclusive. 


Year. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Means. 

Jan.  to 

June,  , 
inclu-  i  >ear- 
sive. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

1865  .... 

571.80 

571.22 

571. 54  572. 26 

572. 84 

572. 82 

572.  78 

572.70 

572. 66 

572. 36 

571.98 

571.84 

572.  08 

572. 23 

1866  _ 

1.57 

1.41 

1.80 

2. 38 

2.60 

2.86 

2. 97 

2.  72 

2. 66 

2. 65 

2.41 

2.  42 

2. 10 

2.37 

1867  .... 

2.13 

1.81 

2.21 

2.53 

3. 05 

3.36 

3.17 

2. 86 

2.47 

2. 13 

1 . 63 

1.41 

2.52 

2. 40 

1868  .... 

1.21 

0. 83 

1.42 

2.25 

2.70 

3.09 

3.06 

2. 54 

2.27 

1.82 

1 . 66 

1.45 

1 . 92 

2.02 

1869  .... 

1.44 

1.37 

1.85 

2. 15 

2.70 

3.09 

3.37 

3. 27 

3.00 

2. 55 

2.09 

2.44 

2.10 

2.44 

1870  .... 

2.68 

2.91 

2.68 

3.33 

3. 54 

3. 51 

3.55 

3.50 

3. 25 

2. 87 

2. 57 

2. 45 

3.11 

3.07 

1871  ... 

2.24 

1.91 

2. 36 

2.84 

3.  11 

3. 11 

3. 12 

2.91 

2.74 

2. 07 

1.89 

1 . 45 

2. 60 

2.48 

1872  .... 

1.37 

1.  13 

1.04 

1.24 

1.68 

2.05 

2.04 

2.01 

1.78 

1.61 

1.28 

1.05 

1.42 

1.52 

1873  .... 

0. 95 

0. 96 

1.03 

2.31 

2.9S 

3.06 

3.04 

2. 98 

2. 58 

2.28 

2.08 

2. 45 

1.88 

2.23 

1874  .... 

2.84 

2. 89 

2. 92 

3.09 

3.  18 

3.25 

3  28 

3.  12 

2.  66 

>>  »>«> 

ISO 

1.59 

3.03 

2.  74 

1875  .... 

1.36 

1.  19 

1.33 

1.73 

2.20 

2.  63 

2.  76 

2.  75 

2.61 

2  12 

1.97 

2.  19 

1.74 

2.07 

1876  .... 

2.15 

2.71 

3. 36 

3. 88 

4.20 

4.31 

4. 20 

3.90 

3.  73 

3.20 

3. 28 

2. 94 

3.44 

3. 49 

1877  .... 

2. 54 

2.38 

2. 15 

2. 58 

2.83 

2. 91 

3. 15 

3. 01 

2. 93 

2  53 

2.  45 

2.53 

2. 57 

2.67 

1878  ..... 

2. 61 

2.  75 

2.  88 

3. 30 

3. 56 

3. 56 

3. 56 

3. 32 

3. 19 

2.84 

2. 64 

2.  72 

3.11 

3. 08 

1879  .... 

2. 30 

2. 16 

2.  19 

2. 55 

2.  70 

2.  79 

2.82 

2.60 

2.  27 

2.04 

1.57 

1.83 

2. 45 

2.32 

1880  .... 

2.33 

2.37 

2. 51 

2.67 

2. 94 

3. 05 

3. 14 

2.90 

2. 67 

2.23 

2. 15 

1.81 

2.65 

2.56 

1881  .... 

1.40 

1.51 

1.83 

2.53 

2.93 

3.17 

3. 12 

2. 80 

2.  45 

2. 40 

2  22 

2.43 

2.23 

2.  40 

1882  .... 

2. 90 

2. 90 

3.  .35 

3.57 

3.  77 

3.92 

3. 85 

3.  71 

3.44 

2.  99 

2.67 

2. 16 

3.40 

3.27 

1883  .... 

2.07 

2.28 

2. 47 

2. 59 

3. 05 

3.  75 

3. 95 

3. 89 

3. 58 

3.26 

2.88 

2.91 

2.  70 

3.  (Hi 

1884  .... 

2.58 

2. 84 

3. 03 

3. 58 

3. 85 

3. 93 

3.71 

3.55 

3.12 

2.  79 

2.31 

2.24 

3.30 

3. 13 

1885  .... 

2. 06 

1. 85 

1.71 

2.53 

3. 26 

3.  77 

3.  73 

3.74 

3. 59 

3.  49 

3.37 

3.32 

2.53 

3.04 

1886  _ 

3. 34 

2.  61 

2.42 

3.30 

3.  60 

3.70 

3.  68 

3. 47 

3.23 

3.00 

2. 59 

2. 64 

3. 16 

3. 13 

1887  .... 

2.41 

2.83 

3.64 

3. 66 

3. 84 

3. 87 

3.  63 

3. 31 

3. 08 

2. 49 

»> 

2.24 

3.38 

3. 10 

1888  .... 

2. 06 

1.79 

1.89 

2. 52 

2.  77 

2.90 

3.  05 

2.95 

2.51 

2. 14 

2.20 

2.08 

2.32 

2.40 

1889  .... 

2. 10 

1.94 

1.78 

2.13 

2. 31 

2.  74 

2.94 

2.63 

2.24 

1.82 

1.55 

1.81 

2.17 

2.17 

1890  .... 

2.17 

2.46 

2.58 

3. 07 

3.41 

3.78 

3.  40 

2.  96 

2.  77 

2.58 

2. 55 

2.  ft 2 

2.91 

2.84 

1891  .... 

2. 10 

2. 08 

2.54 

2.41 

2. 23 

2.37 

2.27 

2.00 

1.82 

1.44 

1.00 

1.07 

2.29 

1.94 

1892 

1. 10 

0. 89 

0. 93 

1.49 

2. 29 

3. 05 

3.17 

2.82 

2.50 

1.94 

1.61 

1.34 

1.62 

1.93 

1893  .... 

0. 96 

1.04 

1.26 

1.99 

2.83 

3. 02 

2.74 

3.40 

2.02 

1 . 67 

1.27 

1.35 

1.85 

1.88 

1894  .... 

1.63 

1.51 

1.54 

1.94 

2.  It! 

2.  63 

2  52 

2. 15 

1.98 

1.66 

1.42 

1.35 

1.93 

1.89 

1895  .... 

1.02 

0.  79 

0. 80 

1.05 

1.27 

1 . 36 

1.25 

1  17 

1.07 

0. 59 

0.  49 

0.65 

1.05 

0. 96 

1896  .... 

0.  75 

0.  67 

0.62 

1.07 

1.45 

1.72 

1.60 

1.81 

1.49 

1.25 

0. 88 

0.91 

1.05 

1.19 

1897  ... 

0.88 

1.08 

1.45 

2.00 

2.  33 

2.43 

2.42 

2.26 

1.98 

1.49 

1 . 36 

1.33 

1.70 

1.75 

1898  .... 

1.38 

1.58 

1.84 

2.42 

2. 57 

2. 60 

2.38 

2. 18 

1.80 

1 . 60 

1.48 

1.31 

2.07 

1.93 

Mean  1865  to  1898,  inclusive . 

572. 36 

572. 40 

The  uncertainty  in  regard  to  the  stability  of  the  Buffalo  gauge  pre¬ 
vious  to  1890,  together  with  the  excessive  fluctuations  of  the  lake 
levels  at  Buffalo,  make  the  Cleveland  gauge  record  much  more  reliable, 
and  it  therefore  has  been  used  in  determining  the  mean  monthly 
elevations  of  the  lake. 

By  substituting  the  monthly  mean  elevations  of  Lake  Erie  from  the 
above  table  in  the  formula  for  discharge  of  Niagara  River,  the  follow¬ 
ing  table  has  been  made,  giving  the  mean  discharge  of  the  river  for 
each  month  from  1865  to  1898,  inclusive: 


Monthly  mean  discharges  of  Laic e  Erie  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,for  years  1865-1898,  inclusive. 


286 


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Mean,  I860  to  1898,  inclusive . . . . .  219,642  .  ]  220,428 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


287 


With  a  few  minor  exceptions  the  rise  of  the  lake  levels  occurs  dur¬ 
ing  the  first  six  months  of  the  year,  and  since  the  actual  net  supply 
to  the  lake  (inflow  less  evaporation)  is  equal  to  the  sum  of  the  volumes 
of  storage  and  outflow,  it  follows  that  the  area  of  the  lake,  multiplied 
by  the  change  in  level  during  storage  period,  plus  the  discharge,  must 
equal  the  supply.  Careful  measurements  from  the  best  charts  obtain¬ 
able  make  the  area  of  the  lake  9,932  square  miles,  over  which  storage 
at  the  rate  of  1  foot  depth  in  six  months  is  equivalent  to  an  average 
supply  of  17,540  cubic  feet  per  second  for  the  same  period. 

The  following  table  gives  the  rise,  average  discharge,  and  average 
supply  for  the  first  six  months  of  each  year  from  1865  to  1898,  inclusive: 

Annual  rise  and  supply  to  Lake  Erie. 


Year. 

Rise  for 
six 

months. 

Equiva¬ 
lent  per 
second. 

Average 

dis¬ 

charge 

per 

second. 

Average 

supply 

per 

second. 

Year. 

Rise  for 
six 

months. 

Equiva¬ 
lent  per 
second. 

Average 

dis¬ 

charge 

per 

second. 

Average 

supply 

per 

second. 

1865 . 

1.02 

Feet. 

17,891 

Feet. 
212, 388 

Feet. 

230,278 

1882  . 

1.02 

Feet. 

17,891 

Feet. 
245, 758 

Feet. 
263, 649 

1866 

1.29 

22, 627 
21.574 

212, 818 

235, 445 
244, 380 

1883  . 

1.68 

29, 467 

227, 523 

256, 990 
251,249 
253,569 

1867  . 

1.23 

222, 806 

1884  _ 

1.35 

7, 893 

243.356 

1868  . 

1.88 

32, 975 
28,941 
14,558 
15, 786 

208. 909 

241,884 

1885  . 

1.71 

29, 993 
6,314 

223, 576 

1869  ... 

1.65 

212. 885 

241,826 

1886  . 

.36 

239.  :381 

1870  . 

.83 

252, 234 

1887  . 

1.46 

25, 608 

245. 243 

270, 851 
232, 640 
285, 869 

1871  . 

.90 

224, 819 
197,013 

240, 605 
208,940 
245, 461 
242, 794 

1888  . 

.84 

14,734 

217,906 

1872  . 

.68 

11,92? 
37,010 
7,191 
22, 276 

1889  . 

.64 

11,226 

214,043 

1873 . 

2. 11 

208, 451 
235, 603 
204.366 

1890  . . 

1.61 

28, 240 

232, 920 
216,876 
202, 288 

261, 160 

1874  . 

.41 

1891 . 

.27 

221  i  616 

236,491 
243,  (302 

1875 

1.27 

226, 642 
285.214 

1892  . 

1.95 

34,203 
36, 132 

1876 . 

2.16 

37,886 

247. 328 

1893  . 

2. 06 

207, 470 

1877  . 

.37 

6, 490 
16,663 
8,595 

223, 787 

230, 277 

1894  _ 

1.01 

.34 

17,715 

208, 594 

226, 309 

1878  . 

.95 

237, 887 
220, 832 
225, 757 

254, 550 
229,427 
238,386 
247, 099 

1895  . 

5, 964 

189, 048 
189, 191 

195,012 

1879 . 

.49 

1896  . . 

.97 

17,014 

206, 2)5 
2.30, 658 
233, 233 

1880 _ 

.72 

12,629 

31,045 

1897  . 

1.55 

27, 187 

203,471 

211,834 

1881 . 

1.77 

216,054 

1898  . 

1.22 

21.399 

With  the  lake  level  regulated  at  574.5  feet  above  tide  water,  the 
maximum  discharge  will  be  277,270  cubic  feet  per  second. 

The  mean  elevation  of  the  lake  at  Buffalo  for  the  years  1865  to  1898, 
inclusive,  was  572.4  feet  above  tide  water,  for  which  the  correspond¬ 
ing  discharge  is  219,560  cubic  feet  per  second.  The  mean  of  all  the 
monthly  discharges  for  the  same  period  is  220,430  cubic  feet  per  sec¬ 
ond.  The  difference  of  these  quantities,  or  the  difference  between 
the  mean  discharge  and  the  discharge  at  the  mean  stage  of  t  he  lake, 
is  due  to  the  increment  of  discharge  for  any  given  change  of  stage, 
being  greater  for  high  water  than  at  low. 

Assuming  that  the  lake  be  regulated  for  a  stage  of  574.5  feet,  or 
about  0.5  foot  below  the  extreme  high-water  stage  of  the  lake,  the 
maximum  limit  to  which  the  outflow  could  be  increased  would  be 
277,270  cubic  feet  per  second,  as  shown  by  equation  of  discharge. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  table  that  since  1865  there  has  been 
but  one  year  (1876)  in  which  the  average  supply  during  the  storage 
season  was  in  excess  of  the  volume  which  will  be  discharged  through 
the  outlet  when  the  lake  is  at  the  stage  574.5  feet  above  tide  water. 


288. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  mean  monthly  supply  for  year  of  maximum  storage,  January 
to  June,  1876,  was  as  follows  (per  second): 

Cubic  feet. 


January . . . . . . . . .  272,400 

February  .  . _ . .. .  295,700 

March  . . . . . . . .  . . .  299,100 

April . . . .  . . .  292,600 

May.. . . . .  . . . . . .  279,800 

June... .  ..  .  . . . . . . .  271,500 


Mean  . . . . . . . . . .  285,200 


The  three  months  in  which  the  supply  was  materially  in  excess  of 
the  discharge  for  proposed  regulated  stage  were  February,  March,  and 
April,  during  which  the  excess  averaged  19,000  cubic  feet  per  second, 
corresponding  to  a  rise  of  0.2  foot  in  February,  0.2  foot  in  March,  and 
0.15  foot  in  April;  hence  if  the  level  of  the  lake  when  regulated  should 
be  allowed  to  fall  0.6  foot  each  year  after  the  close  of  navigation,  it  is 
probable  that  the  excess  of  supply  over  discharge  would  never  cause 
the  surface  to  rise  above  the  plane  of  regulation. 

From  an  examination  of  the  tables  on  pages  285  and  286  it  will  be  seen 
that  at  the  close  of  the  navigation  season  the  supply  is  always  much 
less  than  the  capacity  of  the.  regulating  works  and  that  during  the 
storage  period  it  is  larger  than  the  discharge  over  the  fixed  weir,  and 
therefore  it  is  always  possible  to  lower  the  lake  level  any  desirable 
amount  in  the  fall  of  the  year  and  to  supply  the  deficiency  at  the 
beginning  of  the  season  of  navigation. 

Rules  can  be  established  such  that  when  Lake  Huron  is  at  or  above 
an  average  stage  in  the  fall  the  surface  of  the  lake  may  be  lowered  an 
amount  such  that  any  excessive  local  supply  can  be  taken  care  of,  and 
in  case  such  local  supply  should  be  less  than  expected  the  normal 
level  may  be  restored  at  the  opening  of  navigation,  after  which  date 
the  supply  to  the  lake  usually  diminishes. 

In  the  fall  of  1875  the  discharge  of  Niagara  River  was  60,000  cubic 
feet  per  second  less  than  the  capacity  of  the  regulating  works,  and  if 
the  lake  had  been  regulated  with  the  sluices  of  the  regulating  works  all 
open  the  surface  would  have  been  lowered  1  foot  in  about  two  months, 
or  sufficient  to  have  stored  the  excessive  supply  which  occurred  in  the 
spring  of  1876,  with  a  margin  of  0.4  foot  for  contingencies. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  fall  of  the  waterway  from  Lake  Huron 
to  Lake  Erie  under  existing  conditions  is  less  at  high  stages  of  the 
lakes  than  at  low,  but  if  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  be  controlled  at  a  fixed 
elevation  the  fall  of  the  rivers  would  increase  with  the  stage  in  Lake 
Huron  and  cause  a  larger  discharge  for  any  given  rise  than  at  present. 

High  water  in  Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan  occurs  about  one  month 
after  Lake  Erie  commences  to  fall,  and  any  increase  of  the  high-water 
discharge  of  the  St.  Clair  River,  arising  from  the  regulation  of  Lake 
Erie,  will  take  place  after  the  supply  to  the  latter  lake  becomes  less 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


289 


than  the  capacity  of  the  regulating  works  and  will  tend  to  make  the 
supply  to  Lake  Erie  greater  in  July  and  August  and  less  in  winter 
than  under  present  conditions. 

For  example,  the  rise  and  storage  in  Lakes  Michigan  and  Huron  in 
187(5  (the  year  of  maximum  supply  to  Lake  Erie)  were  as  follows : 


Month. 

Elevation 
of  lake 
surface. 

Rise  per 
month. 

Total 

rise. 

Storage 

per 

second. 

January..  . . . . . .  . . 

Feet. 

581. 23 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Cubic  ft. 

February  . . . .  .  . . 

581. 21 

—0. 02 

—0.02 

—800 

March.  . . .  . . . . ... . . 

581.34 

.13 

11 

52, 170 

April . .  . . . . 

581.62 

.28 

.39 

13.4  350 

May . . . . . . 

582.  22 

.60 

.99 

290, 040 
236, 970 
212, 800 

June . . . - . . . 

582.  71 

.49 

1.48 

July . . . . . . . . 

583. 15 

.44 

1.92 

The  maximum  supply  to  Lake  Erie  in  1876  occurred  in  March,  at 
which  time  it  will  be  seen  from  the  above  table  that  no  material  rise 
had  taken  place  in  Lake  Huron,  and  therefore  the  excessive  rise  in 
Lake  Erie  was  largely  due  to  inflow  from  the  watershed  directly  trib¬ 
utary  to  the  lake  and  occurred  nearly  a  month  before  the  rise  in  Lake 
Huron  was  sufficient  to  materially  increase  the  discharge  through  the 
St.  Clair  River. 

The  minimum  stage  of  Lake  Erie  since  1865  occurred  in  November, 
1895,  when  the  surface  was  570.5  feet  above  tide  water  and  the  dis¬ 
charge  at  the  outlet  178,000  cubic  feet  per  second,  which,  compared 
with  that  for  March,  1876,  indicates  a  maximum  variation  of  outflow 
of  121,000  cubic  feet  per  second. 

With  the  exception  of  1876  the  average  supply  during  storage 
period  has  not  exceeded  271,000  cubic  feet  per  second,  corresponding 
to  the  discharge  through  Niagara  River  when  the  lake  is  at  a  stage 
of  574.3  feet  above  tide  water,  from  which  it  is  evident  that  when  the 
lake  is  at  its  highest  stage  the  outflow  is  practically  equal  to  the  maxi¬ 
mum  supply,  and  if  such  maximum  inflow  should  continue  constant 
for  any  length  of  time  a  practical  state  of  regulation  would  exist. 
To  establish  regulation  at  any  lower  stage  than  574.3  feet  above  tide 
water  will  require  that  the  gorge  at  the  head  of  Niagara  River  be 
enlarged  sufficiently  to  allow  a  discharge  equal  to  the  maximum  supply 
at  that  stage. 

In  order,  therefore,  to  maintain  the  lake  at  a  fixed  stage  it  will  be 
necessary  to  construct  a  fixed  weir  over  which  a  discharge  of  about 
178,000  cubic  feet  per  second  can  be  maintained  at  times  when  the 
water  below  the  dam  is  4  feet  lower  than  the  regulated  surface  of  the 
lake  (with  stage  of  570.5  below  dam  the  discharge  through  gorge  will 
be  178,000  cubic  feet  per  second),  and  a  set  of  sluices  through  which, 
in  connection  with  the  flow  over  the  fixed  weir,  271,000  cubic  feet  per 
second  will  be  discharged  when  the  sluice  gates  are  all  open. 

H.  Doc.  149 - 19 


290 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


For  the  purpose  of  obtaining  this  control  of  the  outflow,  it  is  pro¬ 
posed  to  construct  a  fixed  weir  2,900  feet  long  with  6.6  depth  of  water 
on  the  crest,  and  13  sluices,  having  80  feet  clear  opening  each  and  an 
aggregate  cross-section  of  23,800  square  feet. 

The  following  results  are  obtained  from  the  records  of  gage  read¬ 
ings  made  in  1897  and  1898  to  determine  the  slope  of  the  river  for 
different  stages  of  the  lake: 


Stage  of 
lake. 

Fall  from 
lake  to 
dam  site. 

Mean  ve¬ 
locity  at 
dam  site. 

Theoretic¬ 
al  velocity 
head. 

Difference  be¬ 
tween  fall  and 
theoretical  ve¬ 
locity  head. 

Feet. 

570. 5 

574. 5 

Feet. 

0. 68 
.72 

Feet. 

3.9 

4.3 

Feet. 

0.24 

29 

Feet. 

0.44 

.43 

Stage  of 
lake. 

Fall  from 
lake  to 
water¬ 
works. 

Mean  ve¬ 
locity  in 
section. 

Theoretic¬ 
al  velocity 
head. 

Difference  be¬ 
tween  fall  and 
theoretical  ve¬ 
locity  head. 

Feet. 

570. 5 

574. 5 

Feet. 

3. 02 
3.34 

Feet. 

8.0 

9.1 

Feet. 

0.99 

1.28 

Feet. 

2.  03 
2.06 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  that  the  change  of  slope  from  the 
lake  to  the  proposed  site  for  regulating  works  and  from  the  lake  to 
the  gorge  in  the  head  of  the  river  varies  with  the  theoretical  head 
necessary  to  produce  the  velocity  of  flow  at  the  respective  sections, 
and  that  the  amount  of  fall  necessary  to  overcome  friction  and  main¬ 
tain  the  flow  is  practically  constant  within  the  limits  under  consid¬ 
eration. 

With  the  proposed  regulating  works  in  place,  the  mean  velocity  of 
flow  for  maximum  discharge  through  the  works  will  be  6.4  feet  per 
second,  and,  since  the  velocity  at  the  gorge  will  always  exceed  that 
at  the  regulating  works,  the  amount  of  additional  resistance  to  be 
overcome  after  regulation  is  effected  will  be  simply  that  due  to  main¬ 
taining  the  flow  through  the  works,  which  is  less  than  0.025  foot.1 

The  maximum  discharge  for  the  lake,  when  regulated,  will  there¬ 
fore  be  approximately  the  same  as  for  the  same  stage  under  the  pres¬ 
ent  conditions. 

The  observations  which  were  made  for  the  board  at  the  hydraulic 
laboratory  of  Cornell  University  to  determine  the  coefficients  for  the 
Francis  weir  formula  (Q  -CL7F)  for  the  design  of  weir  proposed  for 

1  With  a  stage  of  574.5  feet  above  tide  water  under  present  conditions,  the  water 
starting  from  a  state  of  rest  in  the  lake  has  a  mean  velocity  of  4.53  feet  per  second 
at  the  proposed  site  for  the  regulating  works  and  9.1  feet  per  second  across  the 
section  at  the  waterworks,  and,  under  the  new  conditions  which  will  arise  from 
the  construction  of  regulating  works,  the  water  will  have  a  mean  velocity  of  6.4 
feet  at  the  dam  and  9.1  feet  per  second  at  the  waterworks,  from  which  it  is  evident 
that  the  theoretical  velocity  head  will  remain  unchanged,  and  that  whatever 
change  in  total  fall  occurs  will  be  due  to  the  resistance  to  flow  caused  by  the  dam 
and  sluices. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


291 

the  regulating  works,  gives  the  following  values  for  C  when  /t= depth 
on  weir  =  0.6  feet. 


Submer¬ 
gence  from 
back  water. 

C  in  the 
for¬ 
mula.  , 
Q=CL/d. 

h. 

0. 0=0. 00 

3. 70 

0.1=0.66 

3.  67 

0.2=1.32 

3.  t‘4 

0.3=1.98 

3.60 

0.4=2.64 

3. 54 

0.5=3.30 

3.  47 

0. 6=3.  '.16 

3. 36 

0.7=4.62 

3.17 

0.8=5.28 

2.88 

0.9=5.94 

2.30 

For  a  low-water  discharge  of  the  river  the  submergence  below  the 
weir  will  be  0.4'1,  making  the  value  C  =  3.54. 

Assuming  the  length  of  the  proposed  fixed  weir  to  be  2,900  feet,  the 
discharge  will  be  Q  =  3.54x2,900x  (G.6)§=175,000  cubic  feet  per  sec¬ 
ond;  and,  since  a  complete  control  of  the  lake  level  for  minimum 
outflow  requires  that  it  should  never  be  less  than  the  capacity  of  the 
weir,  it  would  appear  that  the  proposed  dimensions  of  weir  are  rea¬ 
sonably  correct. 

It  lias  been  shown  that  the  mean  velocity  for  maximum  discharge 
through  the  regulating  works  will  be  6.4  feet  per  second,  which  will 
require  a  theoretical  velocity  head  of  0.64  foot,  to  generate  the  current, 
and  0.43  foot  to  overcome  friction  and  maintain  flow,  making  a  total 
fall  of  1.07  feet  from  the  lake  to  the  site  of  regulating  works,  instead 
of  0.72  foot  required  under  the  present  conditions. 

Omitting  the  loss  of  head  requisite  to  maintain  flow  above  the 
works,  the  submergence  from  backwater  will  be,  approximately,  0.\9h, 
making  the  coefficient  for  the  weir  0=2.30  and  the  discharge 
Q=  2. 30x2,900  X  (6. 6)3  =  113,400  cubic  feet  per  second. 

The  mean  velocity  of  flow  through  the  sluices  will  be  6.7  feet  per 
second,  which,  multiplied  by  the  total  area  of  sluice  cross  section, 
gives  a  discharge  of  159,500  cubic  feet  per  second,  and  a  total  dis¬ 
charge  past  the  regulating  works  of  272,900  cubic  feet  per  second,  an 
amount  1,900  cubic  feet  per  second  in  excess  of  the  average  supply 
during  the  storage  period  for  any  year  since  1865,  except  that  for 
1876. 

A  year  of  maximum  supply  similar  to  that  of  1876  can  only  occur 
after  one  or  more  years  of  excessive  rainfall  over  the  entire  lake 
basin,  and  when  such  conditions  are  known  to  exist  the  level  of  the 
lake  can  be  allowed  to  fall  sufficiently  after  the  close  of  navigation 
each  year  to  provide  storage  for  any  excess  of  supply  that  may  be 
expected. 

If  for  any  reason  it  should  be  deemed  advisable  to  regulate  the  level 
of  the  lake  at  a  lower  stage  than  574.5  feet,  it  can  be  readily  accoui- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


292 

plished  by  enlarging  the  restricted  cross  section  of  the  river  at  the 
gorge  for  a  distance  of  about  3,000  feet. 

The  present  low-water  cross  section  of  the  river  through  the  gorge 
is  only  22,000  square  feet  area,  and  if  enlarged  10  per  cent  the  out¬ 
flow  for  all  stages  of  the  water  surface  below  the  regulating  works 
would  be  increased  sufficiently  to  allow  full  control  of  the  levels  at  a 
stage  of  573.5  feet  above  tide  water,  which  has  been  exceeded  by  the 
high-water  level  of  the  lake  on  eleven  different  years  since  1870,  and 
could  not  in  any  way  be  construed  as  likely  to  be  of  damage  to  vested 
rights. 

Such  an  enlargement  would  necessitate  the  excavation  of  about 
218,600  cubic  yards  of  earth  and  164,500  cubic  yards  of  rock,  and 
would  cost  about  $384,000. 

The  proposed  elevation  for  regulated  stage  of  574.5  feet  above  tide 
water  is  about  0.5  foot  less  than  the  extreme  high-water  stage  of  the 
lake  and  is  considered  a  safe  limit  for  construction. 

WIND  EFFECT. 

From  the  head  of  Lake  Erie  to  the  islands  (about  30  miles)  the  depth 
of  water  is  only  about  35  feet,  and  through  the  channels  between  the 
islands  the  depth  is  from  25  to  35  feet. 

Heavy  westerly  winds  force  the  water  through  these  passages  into 
the  main  body  of  the  lake,  causing  a  lowering  of  the  water  level  at  the 
head  of  the  lake  and  a  corresponding  rise  at  Buffalo.  The  amount  of 
this  change  of  level  depends  upon  the  stage  of  the  lake,  the  velocity 
and  direction  of  the  wind,  and  the  duration  of  the  storm,  and,  in 
extreme  cases,  with  wind  velocity  of  60  to  80  miles  lasting  for  several 
hours  the  change  of  level  reaches  6  to  7  feet  at  each  end  of  the  lake. 

The  change  of  level  at  Cleveland  is  generally  less  than  1  foot,  show¬ 
ing  that  the  wind  effect  is  mostly  at  the  two  ends  of  the  lake,  and  is 
due  to  the  depth  of  water  being  so  small  that  return  currents  are  not 
generated  sufficiently  to  equalize  the  effect  of  wind  on  the  surface, 
until  considerable  difference  in  level  is  produced.  The  deeper  the 
water,  the  less  will  be  the  head  necessary  to  produce  any  given  volume 
of  flowr  in  the  return  current,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  elevation  to 
which  the  water  will  be  raised  by  wind  of  any  given  velocity  and  dura¬ 
tion  will  be  approximatetythe  same,  whether  the  lake  be  at  extreme  low 
or  medium  high  stage  when  the  storm  occurs.  Storms  of  sufficient 
force  to  change  the  water  level  3  feet  or  more  at  the  head  of  the  lake 
are  very  infrequent,  and  can  only  be  provided  for  by  making  the  depth 
of  channels  at  the  head  and  foot  of  the  lake  that  amount  deeper  than 
through  other  portions  of  the  waterway  system. 

The  length  of  time  which  these  changes  would  be  in  excess  of  1  foot 
is  so  small  that,  with  the  level  of  the  lake  regulated  above  mean  stage, 
the  detention  from  this  cause  would  not  seriously  delay  commerce. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


293 


PROPOSED  LOCATION  OF  AVORKS. 

Starting  at  a  point  on  the  breakwater  of  Black  Rock  Harbor,  about 
6,000  feef  below  the  entrance  at  Buffalo  Creek,  a  rock  reef,  with  an 
average  depth  of  6.6  feet  of  water  at  proposed  regulated  stage,  is 
utilized  fora  distance  of  1,300  feet  to  the  bank  of  the  channel  of  the 
outlet,  at  which  place  the  line  of  the  works  makes  a  deflection  of  35° 
and  extends  to  the  Canadian  shore,  a  distance  of  2,810  feet,  of  which 
1,600  feet  is  to  be  a  fixed  weir,  1,040  feet  sluice  openings,  and  170  feet 
sluice-gate  piers,  as  shown  on  plate  84. 

The  site  is  protected  from  winds  from  all  directions,  except  from 
the  south  to  the  southwest,  and  has  a  rock  bottom  suitable  for  the 
foundation  of  structures  for  the  entire  width  of  cross  section.  The 
rock  reef  from  the  Black  Rock  Harbor  breakwater  to  the  west  end  of 
the  system  of  proposed  sluice  gates  has  approximately  the  elevation 
required  for  a  fixed  weir,  and  will  need  but  a  small  amount  of  excava¬ 
tion  (given  in  estimate)  to  make  it  suitable  for  1,200  feet  of  the  pro¬ 
posed  submerged  portion  of  regulating  works.  (See  plate  84.) 

DESIGN  OF  STRUCTURES. 

The  fixed  weir  and  the  piers  for  regulating  sluices  have  been  designed 
with  reference  to  securing  a  maximum  volume  of  discharge  for  any 
given  difference  of  level  between  that  of  the  regulated  lake  and  the 
water  surface  below  the  structure,  and  consist  of  2,900  feet  of  fixed 
weir,  together  with  13  sluices  80  feet  wide  and  20  to  24  feet  deep. 
The  general  designs  and  dimensions  are  shown  on  plate  85. 

The  sluice  gates  and  counterweights  for  the  proposed  works  are  of 
the  “Stoney  type,”  with  a  slight  modification,  and  are  shown  on  plate 
86,  and  the  details  of  the  suspending  chains,  roller  system,  and  hoist¬ 
ing  gear  on  plate  87. 

Particular  attention  is  called  to  the  design  for  suspending  chains, 
designed  by  Mr.  S.  H.  Woodard,  by  which  the  effect- of  the  immersion 
of  the  gate  is  eliminated,  making  the  resistance  to  be  overcome  by  the 
hoisting  gear  practically  that  due  fo  friction  and  to  the  inertia  of  the 
moving  parts. 

The  operation  of  the  gates  will  require  two  men  for  each  sluice,  and 
tlieentire  system  could  probably  be  opened  in  about  forty-five  minutes. 

The  piers  for  sluice  gates  can  be  constructed  in  one  season,  and  the 
superstructure,  gates,  and  fixed  weirs  during  the  second  season  after 
commencement  of  work. 

The  installation  of  regulating  works  will  necessitate  the  construction 
of  a  lock  for  passing  vessels  from  Lake  Erie  to  ports  on  the  Niagara 
River.  Such  a  lock  will,  however,  be  a  necessity  with  an}'  project 
which  provides  for  the  same  depth  of  channel  for  Tonawanda  as  for 
Lake  Erie  harbors,  and  very  likely  will  be  required  with  whatever 


294 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


plan  of  improvement  that  may  be  adopted  for  Lake  Erie  harbors  and 
waterways. 

The  heavy  current  in  the  head  of  Niagara  River  makes  navigation 
of  the  river  difficult  and  dangerous,  but  below  the  gorge  the  river  is 
broad  and  deep,  with  a  current  of  only  about  2  miles  per  hour. 

A  canal  for  passing  vessels  around  the  rapids  will  avoid  excessive 
currents  for  all  stages  of  the  river  and  secure  safe  navigation  between 
the  lake  and  ports  on  the  Niagara  River. 


Estimate  of  cost  of  regulating  works  in  place. 

Crib  work: 

Material  for  6  cofferdams — 

792  M  feet  B.  M.  white  pine,  at  §35  per  M . . .  $27, 720 

147,600  pounds  bolts  and  rods,  at  3  cents. _  . . . .  4, 428 

Towing  and  pumping,  14  cofferdams . .  14,000 

Piers: 

Material  in  14  piers — 

1,671  cubic  yards  cut  granite,  at  §46 _ _ _  76, 866 

601  cubic  yards  cut  limestone,  at  §25 . . . .  . .  15, 025 

558  cubic  yards  paving  block,  at  §20 . . .  11, 160 

3,393  cubic  yards  concrete,  at  §6  . . . . .  20, 358 

141,810  pounds  cast-steel  quoins,  at  8  cents  _. .  11,344 

95,200  pounds  old  rails  in  concrete,  at  1  cent . . . . .  .  952 

14.140  pounds  anchor  bolts,  at  4  cents  . .  565 

Sills: 

Material  in  13  sills — 

395  cubic  yards  concrete,  at  §10 . . . .  3, 950 

71,610  pounds  plates  and  bolts,  at  5  cents  . . .  3,580 

57,700  pounds  structural  steel  in  one  caisson,  at  5  cents  .  . _  _  2, 885 

Plant,  and  operating. . . . . .  20, 000 

Gates: 

Material  in  13  gates — 

2,523,760  pounds  structural  steel,  at  5  cents . . .  . . 126, 188 

107,780  pounds  cast  steel,  at  6  cents . . . .  6, 467 

Counterweights: 

Material  in  13  counterweights — 

539,500  pounds  structural  steel,  at  5  cents . . .  26, 975 

1,954,190  pounds  cast-iron  weights,  at  1.5  cents . . . .  29,313 

Chains: 

Material  for  26  chains,  233,000  pounds  steel,  at  11  cents _ _  25,630 

Superst  ructure : 

1,090,200  pounds  structural  steel,  at  5  cents . . .  54,510 

38  M  feet  B.  M.  flooring,  at  §30  per  M_ . . .  1, 140 

Hoisting  gear: 

Material  for  26  machines — 

248,650  pounds  gears,  sheaves,  etc.,  at  8  cents .  19,892 

43,860  pounds  shafting,  at  4  cents  . .  1, 754 

Roller  trains: 

Material  for  26  trains — 

79,380  pounds  rollers,  at  10  cents . . .  7, 938 

57,940  pounds  structural  steel,  at  5  cents . . .  2,897 

8,100  pounds  cast  steel,  at  6  cents . . .  486 


DEEP  WATERWAYS.  295 

Submerged  weir: 

1,700  linear  feet  of  weir,  at  $55 . .. .  . . $93, 500 

15,800  cubic  yards  rock  excavation  on  reef,  at  $3 _ . _  47, 400 

Engineering  and  superintendence.  ..  .  . .  . .  75,000 

Contingencies.. .  ...  ...  . . .  65,000 


Total _ _ _  796,923 

Estimate  for  17-foot  channel  and  lock  600  by  GO  by  21  feet  between  Lake  Erie  and 

Niagara  River  beloiv  the  gorge. 

Excavation  in  lake,  600  feet  wide,  rock,  215,750  cubic  yards,  at  $3 _  $647,250 

Excavation  in  canal,  240  feet  wide: 

Rock,  114,250  cubic  yards,  at  $2 . . . . .  228,  500 

Earth,  264,280  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  39, 642 

Excavation  at  lock: 

Earth,  55,750  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . . .  8, 363 

Rock  (dry),  49,650  cubic  yards,  at  80  cents. . . . . .  39,720 

Retaining  wall  and  crib: 

Masonry,  111,800  cubic  yards,  at  $6 . . . . .  . .  670, 800 

Timber,  885,800  feet  B.  M.,  at  $25  per  M . .  22, 145 

Drift  bolts,  79,670  pounds,  at  3  cents . . . . .  2,390 

Stone  filling,  10,210  cubic  yards,  at  50  cents . . .  5, 105 

Lock: 

Concrete,  72,500  cubic  yards,  at  $6 . . .  435, 000 

Granite  quoins,  190  cubic  yards,  at  $55  . . . .  10, 450 

Cut  stone,  480  cubic  yards,  at  $25 ...  . . . .  12, 000 

Brick  lining,  1.200  cubic  yards,  at  $12  _ _ _ _ _  14, 400 

Gates,  1,310,000  pounds,  at  5  cents . . . . . . .  65,500 

Steel  castings,  63,200  pounds,  at  6  cents . . . .  3, 792 

Pins  and  pivots,  10,200  pounds,  at  10  cents  .....  . . . .  1,020 

Anchor  bars,  20,800  pounds,  at  5  cents  . . . .  1, 040 

Bronze  bushings,  2,800  pounds,  at  40  cents . .  1, 120 

Drift  bolts,  63,000  pounds,  at  3  cents  _ _ _ _  1,890 

Oak  timber,  36,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M.  _  1, 800 

Operating  plant _ _ _ _ _  75,000 

Contingencies _  _ _ _ _ _  100, 000 


Total.. _ _  2,386,927 

If  a  ship  canal  should  be  built  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  the 
channel  would  be  made  21  feet  or  more  in  depth,  and  would  be  needed 
whether  the  regulating  works  were  constructed  or  not. 

The  above  estimate  is  based  on  a  channel  17  feet  deep,  with  a  lock 
with  21  feet  on  miter  sills,  which  will  allow  the  improvement  to  a  deptli 
of  21  feet  without  change  of  structure. 

BENEFITS  TO  BE  DERIVED. 

If  regulating  works  for  controlling  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  should  be 
constructed,  the  harbor  and  waterways  of  the  lake  will  be  improved 
in  depth  the  amount  that  the  level  of  the  lake  is  raised  above  the  natu¬ 
ral  stage  of  lake  with  which  compared,  and  since  the  plane  of  regu- 
tion  proposed  will  be  about  3  feet  higher  than  the  usual  stage  of  water 


296 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


during  the  latter  part  of  the  season  of  navigation,  when  the  heaviest 
traffic  on  the  lake  occurs,  the  resulting  improvement  to  be  expected 
may  be  fairly  taken  at  that  amount.  The  aggregate  cost  of  the  improve¬ 
ment  of  Lake  Erie  harbors  has  averaged  about  $1,000,000  for  each  foot 
of  permanent  improvement  obtained,  or  approximately  $3,000,000  for 
the  resulting  increase  of  depth  which  would  be  produced  by  properly 
constructed  regulating  works. 

Whatever  amount  the  low- water  stage  of  Lake  Erie  may  be  raised, 
the  resulting  effect  on  the  low- water  levels  of  Lake  St.  Clair  and  of 
Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan  will  be,  respectively,  about  two-thirds  and 
one-third  of  the  change  of  stage  on  Lake  Erie. 

The  channels  of  the  Detroit  and  St.  Clair  rivers  should  be  made  GOO 
feet  wide  to  be  safe  for  the  vast  and  rapidly  increasing  traffic  of  the 
waterways. 

To  construct  a  21-foot  channel  for  standard  low  water  of  the  lakes, 
and  GOO  feet  wide,  will  require  the  excavation  of  the  following  amount 
of  material: 


Location. 

Kind  of  material. 

Sand,  clay, 
and  gravel. 

Sand,  clay, 
and  bowl¬ 
ders. 

Rock. 

Lake  Erie  at  mouth  of  the  Detroit  River . 

Cubic  yards. 
596,000 
923, 000 
5,514,000 
614, 000 
1, 198, 000 

Cu.  yds. 

Cu.  yds. 

Detroit  River _ _ _ _ 

360, 000 

474, 000 

Lake  St.  Clair . . . . 

St.  Clair  River  . _ . 

Foot  of  Lake  Huron  . . 

Total _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

8,845,000 

360. 000 

474,000 

With  the  surface  of  Lake  Erie  regulated  at  an  elevation  of  574.5 
feet  above  tide  water  (0.5  foot  below  extreme  high  water  of  lake),  the 
amount  of  excavation  necessary  for  the  construction  of  a  similar 
channel  with  a  constant  depth  for  entire  season  of  navigation  will  be: 


Location. 

Kind  of  material. 

Sand,  clay, 
and  gravel. 

Sand,  clay, 
and  bowl¬ 
ders. 

Rock. 

Lake  Erie  at  mouth  of  the  Detroit  River . 

Cubic  yards. 

Cu.  yds. 

Cu.  yds. 

Detroit  River . 

159, 000 

266.000 

Lake  St.  Clair . . . . . . . . 

2, il3, 000 
415, 000 
830, 000 

St.  Clair  River . 

Foot  of  Lake  Huron . 

Total .  . . 

3,358,000 

159,  OUO 

266. 000 

Total  excavation  saved  by  regulation . 

5, 487, 000  201, 000 

208,01X1 

Assuming  that  sand,  clay,  and  gravel  in  Lake  Erie  at  month  of  the 
Detroit  River  and  St.  Clair  River  can  be  excavated  for  9  cents  per 
cubic  yard,  in  Lake  St.  Clair  for  15  cents,  and  at  foot  of  Lake  Huron 
for  30  cents;  sand,  clay,  and  bowlders  for  40  cents,  and  rock  $2.50, 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


297 


the  cost  of  constructing  a  21-foot  channel  600  feet  wide  from  Lake 
Erie  to  Lake  Huron  would  be  about-  $1,375,000  less  with  level  of  Lake 
Erie  regulated  than  under  the  present  conditions,  or  .a  saving  of 
$578,000  more  than  the  regulating  works  will  cost.  In  other  words, 
the  value  of  the  improvement  to  the  waterway  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake 
Huron  would  be  more  than  the  amount  necessary  to  construct  the 
works  at  the  foot-  of  Lake  Erie,  making  whatever  benefits  that  would 
result  to  the  harbors  and  channels  of  the  lake  a  direct  balance  to  the 
credit  of  the  project. 

If  a  deep- waterway  channel  should  ever  be  constructed  through  the 
head  of  Niagara  River,  a  dam  at  the  foot  of  the  lake  will  be  an  abso¬ 
lute  necessity.  Otherwise  the  level  of  Lake  Erie  would  be  lowered  to 
such  an  extent  as  to  materially  damage  existing  improvements,  as  any 
improvement  of  Horseshoe  Reef  or  of  the  gorge  at-  the  head  of  Niag¬ 
ara  River  will  have  a  decided  elfect  on  level  of  waterway  above  the 
improvement. 

One  of  the  chief  requisites  for  economical  transportation  on  the 
waterways  is  to  have  a  constant  depth  through  the  shallow  portions 
during  the  entire  season  of  navigation,  so  that  vessels  constructed 
with  reference  to  the  expected  future  depth  of  channels  and  harbors 
will  be  able  to  carry  full  cargoes  at  all  times. 

Since  vessels  are  generally  constructed  for  utilizing  the  maximum 
depth  of  the  improved  channels,  this  desirable  condition  can  only  be 
secured  by  regulating  the  lake  levels. 

INTERNATIONAL  FEATURES. 

Any  system  of  regulating  works  that  maybe  designed  by  which  the 
level  of  the  lake  can  be  controlled  will  necessarily  be  partly  in  Cana¬ 
dian  territory  and  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Canadian  govern¬ 
ment  before  it  can  be  constructed.  The  stage  at  which  the  regulated 
level  of  lake  should  be  fixed  is  also  a  matter  of  importance  to  both 
countries  and  would  probably  have  to  be  settled  by  an  agreement 
between  the  two  Governments. 

SUMMARY. 

Complete  regulation  of  any  lake  level  requires  that  the  sum  of  the 
evaporation  from  the  surface  and  the  outflow'  shall  at  all  times  be 
approximately  equal  to  the  total  supply,  and  since  the  evaporation 
from  Lakes  Michigan  and  Huron  is  of  itself  at  times  largely  in  excess 
of  the  supply  a  complete  control  of  the  level  of  those  lakes  is  an 
impossibility.  The  reservoir  capacity  of  the  upper  lakes  is,  however, 
sufficient  to  allow  of  considerable  decrease  of  the  extreme  fluctua¬ 
tions  of  Lakes  Michigan  and  Huron  without  injurious  effects  on  the 
waterways. 

The  low- water  level  of  Lakes  Michigan  and  Huron  has  been  lowered 
about  1  foot  during  the  past  thirteen  years  by  the  natural  and  artificial 


298 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


deepening  of  the  channels  of  the  St.  Clair  and  Detroit  rivers,  and 
since  the  indirect  effect  on  Lake  Huron  will  be  about  one-third  of  the 
amount  tliaj  the  low-water  stage  of  lake  Erie  is  raised  the  regulation 
of  the  latter  lake  at  a  plane  3  feet  above  ordinary  low  water  will 
restore  the  limit  of  low  water  on  Lakes  Michigan  and  Huron  to  what 
it  was  previous  to  188(5  and  diminish  the  fluctuations  of  those  lakes 
about  1  foot. 

The  regulation  of  Lake  Erie  will  not  materially  change  the  total 
annual  discharge  through  the  Niagara  River  and  will  only  modify  the 
distribution  of  flow  about  5  per  cent  of  the  average  discharge,  and 
therefore  can  not  materially  affect  the  level  of  Lake  Ontario  and  the 
St.  Lawrence  River. 

At  the  stage  of  57-1.5  feet  above  tide  water — 0.5  below  extreme  high 
water — the  outflow  from  Lake  Erie  is  approximately  equal  to  the 
maximum  known  to  supply  the  lake,  and,  if  regulated  at  such  stage, 
the  level  of  the  lake  would  be  susceptible  of  complete  control  except 
as  affected  by  the  wind. 

For  a  complete  control  of  the  levels  at  any  lower  stage  an  enlarge¬ 
ment  of  the  gorge  at  the  head  of  Niagara  River  will  be  necessary,  and 
whatever  plane  of  regulation  may  be  adopted  will  require  interna¬ 
tional  consideration. 

The  enlargement  of  the  waterway  through  the  Detroit  and  St.  Clair 
rivers  to  a  width  of  GOO  feet  is  an  urgent  necessity,  and  the  cost  of 
such  improvement  will  be  diminished  b}T  the  regulation  of  the  lake 
levels  an  amount  more  than  sufficient  to  construct  the  regulating 
works. 

A  fixed  depth  for  the  entire  season  of  navigation  through  the  shal¬ 
low  portions  of  the  connecting  waterways  is  very  essential  to  the 
transportation  interests,  and  can  only  be  secured  by  the  regulation  of 
the  lake  levels. 

The  harbors  and  channels  of  Lake  Erie  will  all  be  permanently 
improved  an  amount  equal  to  the  elevation  of  the  adopted  plane  of 
regulation  above  ordinary  low  water  of  the  lake,  which  unfortunately 
occurs  at  the  season  of  heaviest  traffic  on  the  lake. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Geo.  V.  Wisner. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  7. 

NIAGARA  RIVER  DISCHARGE. 

Detroit,  Mich.,  August  15,  1809. 
Gentlemen:  1  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  on 
the  discharge  measurements  made  in  the  Niagara  River  at  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.,  between  the  dates  September,  1897,  and  September,  1898. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


299 


From  September,  1897,  to  December,  1897,  the  work  was  in  charge 
of  Assistant  Engineer  E.  E.  Haskell,  to  whom  credit  is  due  for  the 
planning  of  the  work  and  methods  employed. 

From  July,  1898,  to  September,  1898,  the  work  was  in  charge  of 
Assistant  Engineer  F.  C.  Shenehon. 

The  writer  has  acted  as  subassistant  engineer  during  field  work  on 
these  dates,  and  at  intervals  between  has  been  in  charge  of  the  com¬ 
putations  for  the  discharge  measurements. 

Since  September,  1898,  the  work  of  gauging  the  river  has  been  con¬ 
tinued  by  the  United  States  Lake  Survey,  and  through  the  courtesy 
of  E.  E.  Haskell,  United  States  assistant  engineer  in  charge,  and  F.  C. 
Shenehon,  resident  engineer,  the  Board  has  been  furnished  with  some 
thirty-eight  discharge  measurements  and  considerable  data  as  to  river 
slopes. 

THE  DISCHARGE  SECTION. 


The  discharge  section  was  located  on  the  line  of  the  guard  rail  on 
the  north  side  of  the  International  Bridge,  about  3  miles  below  the 
head  of  the  river.  The  location  of  the  section  and  its  relation  to 
other  parts  of  the  river  can  be  seen  on  the  map,  plates  14  and  84. 

The  bridge  is  a  single-track  railroad  bridge,  having  a  plank  walk 
about  5  feet  wide  on  each  side  of  the  track.  This  afforded  a  favor¬ 
able  opportunity  for  crossing  the  river  quickly  during  discharge  meas¬ 
urements  and  ease  in  reaching  any  station  for  work  on  vertical  or 
transverse  curves. 

The  bridge  consists  of  nine  spans,  which  were  numbered  from  the 
American  shore  and  have  the  following  water  widths: 


Table  No.  1. 


Span  No. 

Water 

width. 

Width 
of  pier. 

1 . 

Feet. 

151.5 

Feet. 

2 

154. 1 

19.0 

3 . . . 

156. 3 

1  35. 0 

4. 

234.2 

13.0 

5.  .  . 

235. 8 

13.0 

6 . 

235. 3 

13.0 

Span  No. 

W  ater 
width. 

Width 
of  pier. 

Feet. 
186. 9 

Feet. 

9. 5 

8 . . . 

184. 3 

10.0 

9 . 

138.3 

17.0 

Total  . . . 

1,  676.  G 

129.5 

Total  width  of  river=l,806  feet. 


1  Pivot  pier. 


The  piers  have  a  batter  on  the  sides  of  about  1 :  24,  so  that  the  water 
widths  of  the  intermediate  spans  may  be  taken  as  constant.  They 
have  a  length  of  about  35  feet,  with  a  cut  water  on  the  upstream  end, 
the  downstream  end  being  rectangular  in  form. 

Eddies  are  produced  by  the  piers  to  some  extent,  but  they  do  not 
extend  more  than  about  5  feet  from  the  pier  and  in  most  cases  the 
current  remains  practically  linear  and  with  about  the  same  amount 
of  fluctuations  as  near  the  middle  of  the  span.  It  is  1  hought  that  little 
error  has  been  introduced  from  this  source. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


300 

For  the  location  of  the  stations  on  the  discharge  section  the  shorter 
spans,  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  7,  8,  and  9,  were  divided  into  eight  equal  parts  and 
the  longer  spans,  Nos.  4,  5,  and  G,  into  twelve  equal  parts,  thus  making 
the  distance  between  stations  about  20  feet.  These  stations  were 
marked  on  the  guard  rail  of  the  bridge,  each  station  being  designated 
by  the  fractional  eighth  or  twelfth  it  was  from  the  end  of  the  span.  In 
addition  to  these  stations  sounding  stations  were  established  at  points 
about  10  feet  apart  in  each  span. 

The  soundings  were  taken  with  a  41-pound  cast  -  iron  weight, 
attached  to  a  sash  chain,  in  the  swift  and  deeper  water  and  with  a 
25-pound  lead  in  the  shallower  water.  The  depths  in  each  case  were 
measured  from  the  guard  rail,  the  elevations  of  the  guard  rail  having 
been  determined,  as  Avell  as  its  elevation  above  the  water  surface  for 
mean  river  stage. 

The  soundings  were  carefully  taken  on  each  set  of  stations  inde¬ 
pendently,  and  any  discrepancy  shown  by  the  plotting  of  the  two 
sets  was  carefully  gone  over.  From  the  soundings  the  cross  section 
lias  been  plotted  and  is  shown  in  plate  88. 

The  bed  of  the  river  is  formed  of  clay  on  the  American  shore  and 
rock  on  the  Canadian  shore.  No  attempt  was  made  to  determine  the 
character  of  the  bed  in  the  middle,  but  it  is  probable  that  it  is  of  clay. 
The  piers  in  the  deeper  water  have  been  protected  by  heavy  riprap, 
extending  to  within  about  10  or  20  feet  from  the  water  surface. 

WATER  GAUGES. 

The  water  gauges  used  were  of  the  box-with-float  type.  These 
gauges  consist  of  a  pine  box  made  of  seven-eighths  inch  material,  7 
by  7  inches  in  cross  section  and  about  7  feet  long,  having  a -closed 
bottom  and  removable  cover.  These  boxes  are  placed  vertical,  with 
about  half  length  under  water.  On  the  face  of  the  box  and  under 
water  three  one-fourth  inch  holes  are  bored,  being  spaced  about  1 
foot  apart.  These  holes  allow  the  inflow  and  outflow  of  water  and 
secure  a  still-water  surface.  Floating  in  the  box  is  a  2-quart  bottle 
with  a  7-foot  staff  wedged  into  it  and  graduated  to  feet,  tenths,  and 
hundredths.  This  staff  extends  up  through  a  hole  in  the  cover,  and 
where  it  cuts  the  top  of  this  cover  is  called  the  index  point  or  reading 
point.  The  sensitiveness  of  the  gauge  can  be  adjusted  b}T  opening 
or  closing  one  or  two  of  the  one-fourth  inch  holes.  The  zero  on  the 
staff  is  marked  at  7  feet  from  the  water  surface  or  float  line,  with 
reading  increasing  downward  from  this  point,  the  object  being  to  have 
the  increasing  readings  on  the  staff  correspond  with  a  water  rise  in 
the  water  surface.  Having  the  elevation  of  the  index  point  and  read¬ 
ing  on  the  staff,  the  elevation  of  the  water  surface  can  be  readily 
determined. 

In  September,  1897,  eight  of  these  gauges  were  established  along 
the  American  shore  between  the  lake  and  the  discharge  section  for 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


301 


the  purpose  of  determining  the  slope  of  the  river  in  the  various 
reaches.  The  gauges  were  numbered  from  1  to  8  and  their  locations 
are  shown  on  the  map  (plate  14).  Simultaneous  readings  were  made 
on  each  of  the  gauges  at  intervals  of  ten  minutes  from  7.30  a.  m.  to 
5  m. 

Gauge  No.  1,  located  in  Erie  Basin,  was  intended  to  give  the  level 
of  Lake  Erie.  This  gauge  is  located  near  the  Government  standard 
gauge,  a  staff  gauge,  which  was  read  by  the  United  States  engineers 
at  Buffalo  between  1887  and  1897. 

In  July,  1898,  additional  box-with-float  gauges  were  established  as 
follows:  1  L,  2  L,  2  A,  2  B,  and  2  C.  (See  plate  14.) 

Gauges  1  L  and  2  L  are  the  lake  gauges,  replacing  gauge  No.  1, 
which  had  not  proven  satisfactory.  These  gauges,  1  L  and  2  L,  are 
located,  respectively,  on  the  American  shore  and  Canadian  shore,  each 
about  2£  miles  from  the  head  of  the  river.  They  are  placed  well  out¬ 
side  any  effect  from  the  river  current,  but  yet  not  so  far  as  to  intro¬ 
duce  an  error  from  slope  in  lake  surface  resulting  from  wind. 

Gauges  2  A  and  2  B  are  between  gauges  Nos.  2  and  3 ;  gauge  2  C  is  on 
the  Canadian  shore  opposite  gauge  No.  2.  During  July  and  August 
the  13  gauges  were  read  at  ten-minute  intervals  throughout  the  day. 

OUTFIT  FOR  CURRENT  OBSERVATIONS. 

Keel. — The  meter  was  handled  by  means  of  a  reel  mounted  on  two 
wheels  and  provided  with  suitable  handle  bars,  so  that  it  could  be 
easily  moved  from  one  point  to  another.  The  reel  has  a  drum  about 
1  foot  long  and  exactty  5  feet  in  circumference,  measured  on  the 
center  line  of  the  three-eighl  lis  inch  steel  wire  cable  which  winds  on  it. 
The  circumference  of  the  drum  is  divided  into  feet  and  tenths  of  feet, 
so  that  any  required  length  of  cable  can  easily  be  paid  out.  The 
drum  is  turned  by  suitable  hand  cranks  connected  to  the  drum  by 
gearing  at  the  ratio  of  about  6  to  1 ,  so  that  weights  of  from  200  to  300 
pounds  can  be  easily  handled.  From  the  drum  the  cable  leads  over 
a  guiding  sheave  placed  so  that  the  cable  leading  to  the  water  will 
clear  the  guard  rail  of  the  bridge  and  pass  between  the  eye  bars. 

Current  meters  and  recording  device. — The  current  meters  used  w  ere 
of  the  Haskell  form,  which  belong  to  the  screw  or  propeller  type,  and 
are  electric  recording.  The  battery  to  generate  the  electric  current 
is  carried  in  a  box  on  the'reel.  From  the  battery  the  current  passes 
through  the  electric  magnet  of  the  recorder,  then  to  an  insulated  wire 
on  the  interior  of  the  cable  by  means  of  a  spring  pressing  against  a 
brass  ring  on  one  end  of  the  drum  and  to  which  the  insulated  wire  is 
connected.  In  the  meter  wheel  and  revolving  with  it  are  two  semi¬ 
disks,  one  of  india  rubber  and  one  of  platinum.  The  insulated  wire 
is  connected  to  a  contact  spring,  which  presses  alternately  against  the 
platinum  and  india  rubber  as  the  meter  wheel  revolves.  The  return 
circuit  is  made  by  means  of  the  metal  of  the  cable.  In  this  way  the 


302 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


circuit  is  alternately  made  and  broken  at  each  revolution  of  the  meter 
wheel,  and  then,  by  means  of  the  electro-magnet,  the  revolutions  are 
recorded  at  the  surface.  A  stop  watch  is  also  included  in  the  circuit 
and  so  arranged  that  the  starting  of  the  stop  watch  completes  the  cir¬ 
cuit  and  stopping  the  watch  breaks  the  circuit. 

The  following  is  a  list  and  description  of  the  current  meters  used : 

1.  Current  meter.  Form  E,  No.  1,  high  and  low  pitch  wheels.  This 
meter  has  a  length  of  16  inches;  diameter  of  wheel,  4  inches;  weight 
of  meter,  2f  pounds;  weight  of  lead  weight,  20  pounds. 

2.  Direction  current  meter,  Form  A,  No.  12,  low-pitch  wheel.  Length 
of  meter,  36  inches;  diameter  of  wheel,  74  inches;  weight  of  meter,  30 
pounds;  weight  of  lead  weight,  65  pounds.  The  wheel  of  this  meter 
is  extremely  sensitive,  and  will  register  accurately  velocities  from  0.25 
foot  per  second  to  10  feet  per  second.  In  the  center  of  the  meter  is  a 
chamber  about  12  inches  long  filled  with  oil.  In  this  chamber  a  mag¬ 
netic  needle  is  suspended  and  is  free  to  assume  the  magnetic  meridian. 
By  means  of  a  make-and-break  circuit  in  the  chamber  and  a  corre¬ 
sponding  make-and-break  circuit  on  the  surface  the  direction  of  the 
current  can  be  measured  with  a  probable  error  of  about  2°.  For 
a  more  complete  description  of  the  direction  part  of  this  meter  see 
page  304. 

3.  Current  meter,  Form  B.  The  discharge  measurements  made  by 
the  United  States  Lake  Survey  and  furnished  to  the  Board  were  all 
taken  with  a  Haskell  current  meter,  Form  B.  This  meter  only  differs 
from  the  direction  meter  A  in  the  omission  of  the  direction  part.  It 
is  a  very  reliable  meter  and  well  adapted  to  work  in  swift  currents. 

RATING  OF  CURRENT  METERS. 

The  field  observations  of  October,  November,  and  December,  1897, 
were  made  with  meters  E,  No.  1,  high  and  low  pitch  wheels,  and  with 
direction  meter  A,  No.  12. 

These  meters  were  rated  at  the  City  Park,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  October 
23-27,  1897. 

A  small  catamaran  was  rigged  with  the  meter  about  5  feet  in  front 
of  the  boat  and  24  feet  under  the  water.  A  No.  15  steel  wire,  on  which 
a  length  of  base  of  300  feet  was  accurately  laid  off,  was  stretched 
across  a  suitable  part  of  the  lake  where  the  water  was  at  least  5  feet 
deep.  This  wire  was  floated  by  small  blocks  of  wood.  A  five-eighths- 
incli  rope  was  then  stretched  parallel  to  the  base  and  about  5  feet 
from  it.  Three  men  astride  this  rope  then  pulled  the  catamaran  from 
one  end  of  the  base  to  the  other  at  as  uniform  a  speed  as  possible. 
The  electric  recorder  and  stop  watch  were  started  at  the  instant  of 
passing  t lie  zero  mark  of  the  base  and  stopped  at  the  iustant  of  pass¬ 
ing  t lie  300-foot  mark.  The  observation  was  repeated  with  the  boat 
going  in  the  opposite  direction,  so  as  to  be  able  to  eliminate  any  effect 
from  current  if  it  should  exist.  From  the  revolutions  of  meter  wheel, 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


303 


time  interval,  and  length  of  base  the  quantities,  revolutions  per  sec¬ 
ond,  and  velocity  of  boat  in  feet  per  second  are  obtained. 

Before  any  rigid  reductions  of  the  observations  were  made  these 
points  were  platted  on  cross-section  paper,  using  velocity  in  feet  per 
second  as  ordinates  and  revolutions  per  second  as  abscissae  Should 
any  point  differ  from  the  mean  line  by  an  amount  which  showed  that 
an  error  had  been  introduced  from  some  source,  it  was  rejected. 
The  remaining  observations  were  treated  by  the  rigid  method  of  least 
squares.  If  a  straight  line  seemed  to  fit  the  platted  points,  the  linear 
form  y  =  a  +  bx  was  assumed.  If  there  was  an  indication  that  a  curve 
would  be  preferable,  the  form  of  the  parabola,  with  axis  vertical, 
y=a+bx-\-cxi  was  assumed.  An  observation  equation  was  then 
formed  from  each  of  the  observations,  x  and  y  being  the  observed 
quantities  and  a,  b,  and  c  the  unknowns.  The  normal  equations  are 
then  written  from  these  observation  equations  and  solved  for  the 
quantities  a,  b,  and  c. 

The  following  table  shows  the  reductions  of  the  rating  observations 
made  at  City  Park,  Buffalo,  N.  V.,  October  23-27,  1897: 


Current  meter. 

Number 
of  obser¬ 
vations 
used. 

Number 
of  obser¬ 
vations 
rejected. 

Rating  equation. 

Range  in 
observa¬ 
tion  ve¬ 
locity. 

Probable 
error  of 
single  ob¬ 
servation. 

Form  E,  No.  1: 

Low-pitch  wheel _ 

High -pitch  wheel _ 

Direction  meter  A,  No. 
13. 

20 

28 

32 

3 

1 

2 

u  =  +0.334  +0. 894a'+0.067a-2 .... 
y=  +0.151 +1.89te+0.061xa .... 
2/=0.210+1.217.r . 

Foot-secs. 
0.50—3.70 
0.80—6.20 
0.40  —  0.30 

Foot-secs. 
+0.000 
+0.072 
+0. 048 

Meters  E,  low  and  high  pitch  wheels,  were  used  during  the  month 
of  October,  1897,  previous  to  the  arrival  of  direction  meter  A,  No.  12. 

Meter  E,  low-pitch  wheel,  is  intended  for  measuring  low  velocities, 
so  the  range  of  velocities  for  rating  was  not  carried  higher  than  about 
3.70  feet  per  second.  It  has  been  used  for  measuring  velocities  in  the 
vertical  and  transverse  curves  in  spans  Nos.  1  and  2,  the  velocity  not 
exceeding  about  3  feet  per  second. 

The  probable  error  of  a  single  observation  from  the  rating  observa¬ 
tions  is  ±0.060  foot  per  second. 

Meter  E,  high-pitch  wheel,  will  measure  high  velocities,  but  on 
account  of  its  light  weight  it  could  not  be  used  in  the  swift  currents, 
as  it  would  be  carried  too  far  below  the  discharge  section.  It  has  been 
used  in  measuring  velocities  in  the  vertical  and  transverse  curves  in 
spans  Nos.  1,  2,  8,  and  9,  the  velocity  not  exceeding  about  5  feet  per 
second.  The  probable  error  of  a  single  observation  is  A  0.072  foot  per 
second.  Direction  meter  A,  No.  12,  is  a  very  reliable  meter,  and  is 
suited  to  both  high  and  low  velocities.  It  has  been  used  in  the  greater 
part  of  the  work  in  measuring  velocities  for  vertical  curves,  trans¬ 
verse  curves,  and  discharge  measurements.  The  probable  error  of  a 
single  observation  is  ±0.048  foot  per  second. 


304 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  field  observations  of  July  and  .August,  1898,  were  made  for  the 
most  part  with  meter  A,  No.  12,  a  few  being  made  with  meter  E,  liigh- 
pitch  wheel,  in  spans  Nos.  1,  2,  8,  and  9.  For  this  work  careful  rerat¬ 
ings  of  these  two  meters  were  made  in  the  city  reservoir,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
The  reservoir  is  rectangular  in  shape,  about  400  feet  by  600  feet,  with 
paved  sides  and  bottom,  the  sides  having  a  slope  of  1  on  2.  The  res¬ 
ervoir  is  in  direct  connection  with  the  water  mains,  but  is  only  drawn 
from  in  case  of  a  sudden  draft,  as  for  fire  purposes.  An  automatic 
gauge  is  maintained,  so  that  any  lowering  of  the  surface  and  resulting 
development  of  currents  from  this  source  would  be  shown.  Slight 
currents  were  developed  by  the  wind,  but  when  it  was  calm  the  water 
was  perfectly  quiet. 

A  300-foot  base  was  selected  parallel  to  one  side,  where  the  water 
was  about  6  feet  deep.  This  base  was  marked  on  a  No.  15  steel  wire 
and  floated  in  position  by  wooden  blocks.  A  rowboat  was  arranged 
so  as  to  carry  the  meter  about  5  feet  in  front  of  the  boat  and  3  feet 
under  water.  The  observer  sat  in  the  bow  of  the  boat  near  the  record¬ 
ing  apparatus  and  was  able  to  see  the  meter  at  all  times.  Another 
man  sat  in  the  stern  of  the  boat  and  kept  it  parallel  to  the  base.  The 
boat  was  pulled  back  and  forth  along  the  base  by  means  of  suitable 
lines  leading  to  the  shore,  a  long  pole  being  used  at  the  bow  to  keep 
the  boat  in  the  required  position.  In  order  to  make  the  movement 
of  the  boat  uniform  a  base  was  laid  out  on  shore  parallel  to  the  base 
on  the  water  and  with  marks  at  each  50  feet. 

The  intervals  of  time  in  going  over  the  first  50  feet  were  noted,  and 
at  the  successive  equal  time  intervals  some  sign  was  given,  so  that  the 
speed  of  the  boat  could  be  increased  or  decreased  accordingly. 

The  observations  were  reduced  by  the  rigid  method  of  least  squares, 
as  already  described.  The  results  of  the  ratings  on  these  two  meters 
are  shown  below. 

Meter  E ,  high-pitch  wheel,  August  26 ,  1898. — It  was  found  that  the 
observations  having  a  velocity  exceeding  14  feet  per  second  plotted 
in  a  straight  line.  Accordingly  a  linear  equation  has  been  deduced 
from  the  observations  above  this  point,  while  below  a  curve  has  been 
sketched  in. 

Number  of  observations  =  30. 

Number  of  observations,  velocity  below  11  feet  per  second  =  3. 

Number  of  observations  used  in  reductions  =  27. 

Rating  equation  y  —  —0.026+2. 064a;. 

Range  in  observed  velocity  =  (0.60—7.30)  feet  per  second. 

Probable  error  of  a  single  observation  =  -j- 0.043  feet  per  second. 

Direction  meter  A  No.  12 ,  July  15 ,  1898. — In  this  rating  a  current, 
from  wind,  of  about  0.15  foot  per  second  and  very  nearly  constant, 
was  found  to  exist  parallel  to  the  base.  The  observations  plotted  in 
two  very  good,  straight  lines,  one  for  each  direction  of  movement  of 
the  boat.  The  rating  equation  was  determined  by  two  methods. 

1.  The  equations  of  the  two  lines  were  obtained  by  the  method  of 
least  squares,  by  treating  the  observations  from  each  direction  inde- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


305 


pendently.  A  line  bisecting  the  angle  between  these  two  lines  was 
taken  as  the  rating  line.  This  method  assumes  the  current  to  be  con¬ 
stant  or  varying  uniformly  during  the  rating  observations. 

2.  The  observations  were  divided  into  pairs,  eacli  pair  consisting  of 
consecutive  observations,  one  in  each  direction.  The  mean  of  the 
velocities  and  revolutions  per  second  of  each  pair  are  taken  as  a  single 
observation,  and  from  these  the  rating  line  obtained  by  the  method  of 
least  squares.  In  this  way  the  current  is  only  assumed  to  be  constant 
during  two  consecutive  observations. 

The  rating  lines  obtained  by  the  two  methods  give  velocities  agree¬ 
ing  within  about  0.01  foot  per  second.  The  second  method  is  consid¬ 
ered  the  better  one  of  the  two,  and  is  the  one  adopted. 

The  results  of  the  reductions  are  shown  below: 


Number  of  pairs  of  observations  =  17. 

Rating  equation  y  =  -+0.116+1.208,r. 

Range  in  observed  velocities.  0.70  to  8.20  feet  per  second. 

Probable  error  of  a  single  observation  =-J-0.027  foot  per  second. 

This  meter  had  been  returned  to  the  manufacturer  during  the  win¬ 
ter  of  1898,  and  the  blades  of  the  wheel  had  been  reshaped,  so  the 
above  rating  equation  is  slightly  different  from  the  one  obtained  in 
1897. 

Summary  and  comparison  of  meter  ratings. 


METER  E  NO.  1,  LOW-PITCH  WHEEL. 


Velocity!  feet  per  second  corresponding 
to  revolutions  per  second ). 


Place  and  date. 

Rating  equation. 

0.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

ond. 

0.5 

foot- 

sec¬ 

ond. 

1.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

ond. 

1.5 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

2.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

2.5 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

3.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

City  Park.  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
October,  1897. 

y=  +0.334+  0. 894x+0. 067a:3  .. 

0.33 

0.80 

1.30 

1.83 

2.39 

2.99 

3.62 

Sau It  Ste.  Marie,  Mich., 
March,  1896. 1 

y=  +0. 378+0. 813.T+0. 08&r2 

.38 

0.81 

1.27 

1.79 

2.34 

2.93 

3.56 

1  See  report  of  E.  E.  Haskell,  United  States  assistant  engineer,  on  discharge  of  the  St.  Marys 
River,  report  of  Chief  of  Engineers  1897,  page  4092. 


This  meter  has  been  used  in  measuring  velocities,  in  vertical  and 
transverse  curves,  the  velocity  not  exceeding  3  feet  per  second. 

METER  E  NO.  1,  HIGH-PITCH  WHEEL. 


Velocity  (feet  per  second  corre¬ 
sponding  to  revolutions  per  sec¬ 
ond). 

Place  and  date. 

Rating  equation. 

0.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

ond. 

0.5 

foot- 

sec¬ 

ond. 

1.0  1.5  2.0 

foot- 1  foot-  foot- 
sec-  sec-  sec¬ 
ond.  onds.  onds. 

2.5 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

City  Park,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

October,  1897. 

City  reservoir,  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.,  August.  1898. 

y=  0.15  +1.896x+0. 061x2 . 

0.50 

1.11 

2. 11  3. 13  4. 19 

5. 27 

y— — 0. 026  +2. 064x . 

.50 

1.06 

2.04  I  3.07  4.10 

5.14 

H.  Doc.  1P9 


20 


306 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


This  meter  has  been  used  in  measuring  velocities  in  vertical  and 
transverse  curves,  the  velocity  not  exceeding  5.25  feet  per  second. 
The  rating  lines  for  this  meter  for  velocities  below  IT  feet  per  second 
have  been  sketched  in  by  eye  from  plotted  observations,  so  the  rating 
equations  given  do  not  apply  below  this  limit. 


DIRECTION  METER  A  NO.  12. 


Velocity  (feet  per  second  corresponding  to 
revolutions  per  second). 

Place  and  date. 

Rating  equation. 

0.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

ond. 

1.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

ond. 

2.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

3.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

4.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

5.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

6.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

7.0 

foot- 

sec¬ 

onds. 

City  Park,  Buffalo,  N.Y., 
October,  1897. 

y-0. 216+1. 217a; . 

0.22 

1.43 

2.65 

3. 87 

5.08 

6.30 

7.52 

8.73 

City  reservoir,  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.,  July,  1898. 

y—Q.  116+1. 208x _ 

.12 

1.32 

2.53 

3.74 

4.95 

6. 16 

7.37 

8. 57 

In  making  the  comparison  of  the  ratings  of  this  meter  it  should  be 
remembered  that  the  meter  wheel  had  been  altered  between  the  two 
sets  of  observations.  It  has  been  used  in  the  more  important  vertical 
and  transverse  curves  and  in  the  discharge  measurements.  The 
maximum  velocity  was  about  8  feet  per  second.  In  all  cases  the  field 
observations  with  each  meter  have  been  reduced  by  the  rating  equa¬ 
tion  determined  during  the  corresponding  year. 

METER  OBSERVATIONS. 

As  already  stated,  the  shorter  spans  were  divided  into  8  equal  parts 
and  the  longer  spans  into  12  equal  parts,  the  stations  being  designated 
by  the  fractional  eighths  or  twelfths  from  one  end  of  the  span. 

Observations  for  discharge. — The  general  method  of  proceeding  in 
taking  a  discharge  measurement  is  to  measure  the  velocity  at  some 
percentage  of  the  depth  at  stations  on  the  cross  section,  passing  from 
one  to  another  as  rapidly  as  possible.  The  stations  were  called  meter 
stations,  and  were  about  80  feet  apart.  In  the  short  spans  they  were 
located  at  the  stations  f  and  f,  and  in  the  longer  spans  at  the  sta¬ 
tions  y^r,  T6^,  and  In  this  way  each  observation  represented  a 

width  of  river  corresponding  to  one-lialf  or  one-third  of  the  span,  and 
was  located  in  the  middle  of  that  part.  As  the  general  shape  of  the 
cross-section  of  each  span  is  somewhat  triangular,  in  order  to  reduce 
the  observed  velocity  to  mean  velocity  it  was  necessary  to  have  a 
system  of  vertical  curves,  showing  the  variation  of  the  velocity  in  a 
vertical  plane,  and  a  system  of  transverse  curves,  showing  the  varia¬ 
tion  of  velocity  as  we  cross  the  river.  The  combination  of  the  two 
sets  of  curves  gives  a  coefficient  which,  multiplied  by  the  observed 
velocity,  gives  mean  velocity.  This  mean  velocity,  multiplied  by  the 
area  of  the  corresponding  one-half  or  one-third,  gives  discharge. 

All  of  the  observations  for  discharge  were  made  at  the  T3o-depth 
point.  This  ratio  TV  depth  was  adopted,  as  it  seemed  the  one  best 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


307 


suited  to  the  conditions.  The  bridge  being  about  22  feet  above  the 
water  surface,  and  the  current  swift,  it  was  impossible  to  prevent  the 
meter  from  being  carried  downstream.  The  form  of  the  vertical 
curve  at  the  point  T3^  of  the  depth  is  very  nearly  vertical,  so  that  a 
slight  error  in  the  location  of  the  meter  from  the  y3-g-  position  would 
not  have  much  effect  on  the  velocity.  The  -^--depth  point  spoken  of 
is  not  located  exactly  at  a  distance  below  the  surface  of  y3^  depth  of 
water,  but  is  determined  as  follows:  Observations  at  the  surface  must 
be  taken  with  the  meter  wheel  1  foot  below  the  water  surface,  so 
as  to  have  the  lashing  of  the  cable  to  the  meter  immersed.  Observa¬ 
tions  at  the  bottom  must  have  the  lead  weight  slightly  clear  of  the 
bottom.  This  would  place  the  meter  wheel  1^  feet  above  the  bottom. 

The  intervening  space  (depth  —  24  feet)  is  divided  into  ten  equal 
parts,  and  the  points  of  division  are  spoken  of  as  the  respective  tenths 
of  the  depth.  From  this  it  is  seen  that  the  y\-depth  point  is  located 
at  a  distance  below  the  surface  of  -fe  (D  —  24)  +  1,  where  D  repre¬ 
sents  depth  of  water  in  feet. 

This  expression  was  evaluated  for  each  station,  using  the  depths 
corresponding  to  an  approximate  mean  river  stage.  The  correction 
on  account  of  change  in  stage  will  be  ±  yV  X  (change  of  stage  in 
feet). 

In  the  swifter  current  of  about  6  feet  per  second  and  with  the 
meter  at  T37  depth,  it  will  be  carried  downstream  from  12  to  14  feet, 
the  meter  cable  making  an  angle  from  the  vertical  of  about  25°; 
so  that  in  order  to  place  the  meter  at  the  TVdepth  point  a  relation 
must  be  obtained  between  the  vertical  distance  and  the  slant  distance 
below  the  water  surface.  To  do  this,  observations  were  made  at  each 
station  for  the  angle  of  the  cable  from  the  vertical  when  the  meter 
was  approximately  at  the  yVdepth  point  and  the  river  about  at  mean 
stage.  This  angle  was  measured  by  means  of  a  board  having  a  grad¬ 
uated  quadrant,  and  being  held  alongside  of  the  cable  at  a  point  just 
below  the  lower  chord  eye  bars  of  the  bridge,  the  cable  being  free 
below  this  point. 

The  lower  chord  eyebars  of  the  bridge  are  approximately  22  feet 
above  the  water  surface  when  the  river  is  at  mean  stage.  Then,  start¬ 
ing  with  the  meter  wheel  at  the  water  surface,  the  amount  of  cable 
to  pay  out  to  place  the  meter  at  the  yVdepth  point  is  given  by  the 
equations : 

Amount  of  cable  to  pay  out  to  place  meter  at  T37  depth  =  L  = 

22  (sec  x— 1)+  [y3o-(D— 2|)  +  1]  sec  x ; 
where  x  represents  the  angle  of  the  cable  from  the  vertical,  and  D  the 
depth  of  water  in  feet.  This  method  assumes  that  the  cable  con¬ 
tinues  in  a  straight  line  under  the  water  surface  instead  of  a  slight 
curve. 

In  order  to  determine  the  error  from  this  assumption,  and  others  of 
a  like  nature — explained  later — the  curve  of  the  cable  under  water 


308 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


and  under  different  conditions  lias  been  traced  graphically  This  has 
been  done  as  follows: 

The  pressure  of  the  current  on  the  meter  was  determined  by  lower¬ 
ing  the  meter  wheel  1  foot  under  water  and  measuring  the  vertical 
angle  a?  of  the  cable;  then  the  pressure  on  the  meter  equals  weight 
under  water  multiplied  by  tan  x.  The  velocity  was  also  observed, 
and  from  a  number  of  such  observations  a  very  good  curve  showing 
relation  of  velocity  and  pressure  on  meter  was  obtained.  After  each 
of  the  observations  for  pressure  on  meter  was  completed  an  additional 
5  feet  of  cable  was  paid  out  and  the  vertical  angle  of  the  cable  again 
measured.  The  tangent  of  this  angle  multiplied  by  weight  under 
water  gives  the  pressure  on  the  meter  and  5  feet  of  cable.  The  law 
for  the  pressure  on  the  meter  being  known,  the  pressure  on  the  5  feet 
of  cable  is  easily  computed,  and  from  a  number  of  such  observations 
the  law  for  the  pressure  on  the  cable  obtained. 

Then,  starting  with  the  known  weight  of  meter  and  measured  or 
assumed  velocities,  we  can  trace  graphically  the  curve  of  the  cable 
under  water.  A  check  on  the  graphical  work  is  obtained  by  compar¬ 
ing  the  vertical  angle  at  the  surface  with  the  measured  vertical  angle. 

At  mean  river  stage  the  error  from  assuming  the  cable  to  continue 
straight  under  the  water  surface,  and  in  placing  the  meter  at  the  T3T 
depth  by  the  formula  given  for  L,  amounts  to  about  0.4  foot  under 
the  most  unfavorable  conditions,  the  meter  being  too  low  by  this 
amount.  The  vertical  depths  and  corresponding  values  of  L  were 
worked  out  and  tabulated  for  each  of  the  stations. 

The  correction  to  L  on  account  of  change  of  stage,  assuming  x  to 
remain  constant  and  taking  a  as  representing  the  change  of  stage  in 
feet,  would  be : 

Correction  to  L  =  a  (sec  x  —  1)  ±  T3¥  a  sec  x, 
when  the  upper  signs  are  used  for  a  high  stage  and  the  lower  signs 
for  a  low  stage. 

As  the  limiting  value  of  a  was  about  li  feet  and  of  x  about  25°, 
this  correction  has  been  taken  as  ±  T3¥  a. 

In  order  to  determine  the  error  from  assuming  x  to  remain  constant 
at  all  stages,  and  of  the  cable  to  continue  straight  under  the  water 
surface,  graphical  analyses  have  been  made  where  extreme  conditions 
have  been  assumed.  The  following  results  were  obtained: 

1.  The  river  being  1^  feet  above  mean  stage  and  the  velocity  about 
8  feet  per  second,  according  to  the  formula  as  used,  the  meter  would 
be  1.25  feet  above  the  T3¥  depth. 

2.  The  river  being  1¥  feet  below  mean  stage  and  the  velocity  about 
5  feet  per  second,  according  to  the  formula  as  used,  the  meter  would 
be  1.25  feet  below  the  T3y -depth  point. 

The  depth  of  water  at  the  point  considered  is  about  53  feet,  so  the 
variation  from  the  T3¥-depth  point  amounted  to  only  about  2  per  cent 
of  the  depth.  It  will  be  seen  later  that  observations  at  extreme  high 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


309 


and  low  stages  have  not  been  used  in  the  final  reductions.  For  the 
observations  used  it  is  probable  that  the  variation  from  the  ^  depth 
has  not  exceeded  0.75  foot. 

In  taking  an  observation  for  discharge,  the  meter  is  placed  at  the 
T3o  depth,  according  to  the  method  prescribed.  The  stop  watch  and 
recorder  are  then  started  and  allowed  to  continue  for  an  interval  of 
100  seconds,  and  the  number  of  revolutions  made  are  noted.  In  this 
way  all  the  meter  stations  are  occupied  consecutively  from  one  shore 
to  the  other  and  as  rapidly  as  possible.  The  length  of  time  occupied 
in  taking  a  complete  discharge  measurement  was  usually  about  two 
hours. 

Observations  for  vertical  curves. — Vertical  curves  were  taken  at 
each  of  the  meter  stations  or  stations  occupied  in  a  discharge  measure¬ 
ment.  In  addition  to  these,  a  few  curves  were  taken  at  each  of  the 
f  stations  of  the  short  spans.  In  the  vertical  curves  the  velocity  was 
measured  at  each  tenth  of  the  depth,  the  meter  being  placed  at  these 
points  in  the  following  manner:  Starting  with  the  bottom  of  t lie  lead 
weight  at  the  water  surface,  the  meter  was  lowered  until  the  lead 
weight  touched  the  bottom,  a  record  being  kept  of  the  amount  of  cable 
paid  out.  This  length,  less  2-1  feet,  was  divided  into  ten  equal  parts, 
and  each  part  taken  as  the  amount  of  cable  to  take  up  in  order  to  raise 
the  meter  Tl(7  part  of  the  depth. 

The  first  observation  was  made  with  the  lead  weight  just  clearing 
the  bottom.  The  other  observations  were  then  taken  consecutively 
at  each  tenth  of  the  depth,  from  the  bottom  upward,  the  last  obser¬ 
vation,  called  the  surface,  being  with  center  of  the  meter  wheel  1  foot 
below  the  surface. 

In  order  to  prevent  the  meter  from  being  carried  too  far  downstream, 
sleeve  weights  of  cast  iron  were  attached  to  the  cable.  These  sleeve 
weights  were  2f  inches  in  diameter,  18  inches  long,  and  weighed  20 
pounds. 

In  spans  Nos.  1,  5,  and  6,  five  of  these  sleeve  weights  were  used,  the 
lower  one  being  attached  10  feet  above  the  meter  wheel  and  the 
others  directly  above,  with  spaces  of  (i  inches  between. 

A  graphical  analysis  of  the  curve  of  the  cable,  showing  the  position 
of  the  meter  at  the  tenths  of  the  depth,  has  been  made.  The  result 
has  shown  that  this  method  of  placing  the  meter  has  been  amply  close, 
the  largest  variation  from  the  true  position  being  at  the  T67  depth, 
where  the  meter  was  about  1  foot  too  high. 

At  each  observation  the  time  interval  was  taken  as  60  seconds;  so 
the  time  occupied  in  taking  a  complete  vertical  curve  was  about  15 
minutes.  It  was  the  practice  to  take  about  3  complete  vertical  curves 
at  one  station  before  moving  to  the  next.  F rom  8  to  10  vertical  curves 
were  taken  at  each  of  the  meter  stations  to  form  a  mean  vertical 
curve. 

Observations  for  transverse  curves. — In  observing  for  transverse 
curves  the  meter  is  placed  at  the  T3¥  depth  point  in  the  same  manner 


310 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


as  in  observing  for  a  discharge.  The  observations  were  made  in  reg¬ 
ular  order  at  all  stations,  including  those  at  the  ends  of  the  spans. 
From  G  to  10  transverse  curves  were  taken  in  each  span  to  form  a 
mean  transverse  curve.  The  length  of  time  required  to  observe  a 
transverse  curve  of  one  span  was  from  30  to  45  minutes. 

Observations  for  direction  of  current. — Observations  for  direction  of 
the  current  were  taken  at  each  observation  in  connection  with  about 
5  complete  transverse  curves  and  at.  all  the  meter  stations  in  the  case 
of  about  10  discharge  measurements.  The  observation  consists  in 
recording  the  azimuth  of  the  direction  in  which  the  current  flows  by 
means  of  the  direction  part  of  the  meter.  The  meter  was  given  about 
one  minute  to  assume  a  settled  position.  Then  the  make-and-break 
circuits,  one  in  the  meter  chamber  and  one  on  the  surface,  were  started. 
The  one  on  the  surface  reproduces  by  an  index  the  arc,  at  any  instant, 
through  which  a  traveling  point  in  the  meter  chamber  has  moved  from 
the  plane  in  which  the  meter  stands.  On  reaching  the  plane  of  the 
magnetic  needle  the  circuit  is  finally  closed  by  the  moving  point 
striking  against  the  lug  on  the  needle.  The  reading  of  the  index  is 
then  the  azimuth  of  the  direction  of  the  current. 

The  direction  was  practically  constant  between  the  f  and  -f  stations 
of  the  short  spans  and  between  the  T%  and  14  stations  of  the  long 
spans.  Next  to  the  piers  the  direction  was  somewhat  variable,  and 
the  meter  would  swing  through  an  angle  of  10°  or  15°.  In  such  cases 
the  mean  of  several  determinations  was  taken  as  the  direction. 

Observations  for  the  mean  direction  of  flow  of  the  river.—  In  order 
to  determine  the  mean  direction  of  flow  of  the  river  three  dis¬ 
charge  measurements  were  selected,  in  which  the  direction  of  the 
current  for  each  of  the  meter  stations  had  been  observed,  and  when 
the  direction  part  of  the  meter  had  worked  very  satisfactorily.  This 
gave  three  sets  of  twenty-one  readings  each,  and  at  distances  of  about 
80  feet  apart.  The  maximum  range  in  direction  of  the  current  in  any 
one  of  the  sets  was  about  10°.  The  mean  of  the  three  sets  gave  an 
azimuth  of  187°  from  the  magnetic  south  as  the  mean  direction  of 
flow  of  the  river.  The  variation  of  the  mean  direction  at  any  point 
from  the  mean  direction  of  the  whole  river  would  not  exceed  2°  or  3°. 

Observations  for  the  direction  of  the  normal  to  the  bridge  or  to  the 
line  of  the  discharge  section. — In  these  observations  the  meter  was 
placed  on  the  ground  and  lined  parallel  with  the  cross  ties.  About 
20  observations  were  made  at  each  end  of  the  bridge.  The  mean  of 
40  observations  give  the  azimuth  of  the  normal  to  the  discharge  sec¬ 
tion  at  185.1°. 

From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  the  mean  direction  of  flow  of  the 
river  is  2°  to  the  right  from  the  normal  to  the  discharge  section,  and 
that  the  mean  direction  of  flow  and  the  discharge  section  are  practi¬ 
cally  at  right  angles. 

In  the  case  of  the  individual  discharge  measurements  no  correc¬ 
tions  were  necessary  to  the  measured  velocities  on  account  of  the 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


311 


direction  of  the  current.  In  the  case  of  the  transverse  curves,  the 
velocities  at  stations  near  the  piers  have  been  corrected  by  multiply¬ 
ing  them  by  the  cosine  of  the  angle  from  the  mean  direction  of  flow 
of  the  river. 

REDUCTION  OF  OBSERVATIONS. 

Area  of  cross  section. — The  partial  areas  for  the  one-lialf  and  one- 
third  part  of  span  were  computed  for  each  tenth  of  a  foot  elevation 
of  water  service  at  the  discharge  section,  and  covering  the  range  of 
the  discharge  measurements.  The  following  table  gives  these  partial 
areas  for  an  elevation  of  567  feet  above  mean  tide  at  New  York: 

Table  No.  2. — Area  of  cross  section  at  bridge. 

[Elevation  of  water  surface =567.] 


Span 

No. 

East 
half  or 
third. 

Middle 

third. 

West 
half  or 
third. 

Total. 

1 

Sq.  feet. 
495 

Sq.  feet. 

Sq.  feet. 
761 

Sq.  feet. 
1, 256 

2 

807 

901 

1,708 

3 

2,058 

2, 120 

4. 178 

4 

2,718 

3,985 

3,199 

9, 902 

5 

3.198 

3, 100 

2,743 

9, 041 

6 

2, 522 

2, 735 

1,552 

6,809 

7 

1,825 

1,824 

3, 649 

8 

1,363 

378 

1,235 

2,598 

9 

no 

488 

Total  area,  39,629. 

Vertical  curves  and  transverse  curves. — A  mean  vertical  curve  is 
formed  from  the  8  or  10  individual  curves  by  averaging  the  velocities 
of  each  tenth  of  the  depth.  This  curve  is  then  plotted  by  using- 
depths  and  velocities  as  coordinates.  The  average  velocity  is  obtained 
by  dividing  the  area  by  depth  of  water.  The  ratio  of  this  average 
velocity  to  the  average  of  the  observed  velocities  at  T3¥  depth  is  called 
the  coefficient  for  the  vertical  curves  at  this  station.  Then  observed 
velocity  at  T3„  depth  multiplied  by  coefficient  gives  average  velocity. 
This  coefficient  strictly  only  holds  within  the  range  of  river  stage 
co\ered  by  the  individual  vertical  curves.  In  all  discharge  measure¬ 
ments  to  date  it  has  been  assumed  that  for  moderate  changes  of 
stage  the  coefficient  will  remain  constant.  The  observations  we  have, 
while  not  proving  or  disproving  the  assumption,  yet  tend  greatly  to 
strengthen  it.  If  the  velocities  in  a  vertical  plane  vary  from  some 
cause  it  is  noticeable  that  at  points  located  by  percentages  of  the 
depth,  the  velocities  will  vary  in  the  same  proportion.  The  change  of 
form  of  the  vertical  curve  is  shown  by  the  accompanying  sketch  (fig.  1). 

The  full  line  abc  d  represents  the  original  vertical  curve. 

First.  Assume  the  velocities  at  percentages  of  the  depth,  as  at  10th, 
to  remain  constant  while  the  depth  increases,  the  curve  taking  the 
form  a'  b'  c  d.  In  this  change  the  area  and  depth  will  increase  in  the 
same  ratio,  so  the  average  velocity  and  coefficient  will  remain  the  con¬ 
stant. 


312 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Second.  Assume  the  depth  to  remain  constant  and  all  the  veloci¬ 
ties  to  increase  in  the  same  proportion,  the  curve  taking  the  form 
a'  b"  c!  cl.  In  this  change  the  average  velocity  will  increase  in  the  same 
proportion  as  the  individual  velocities,  so  the  coefficient  will  remain 
constant.  Then  we  have  the  following  assumption  in  regard  to  ver¬ 
tical  curves: 

In  the  vertical  plane,  velocities,  located  by  percentages  of  depth, 
vary  in  the  same  proportion,  and  as  a  result  the  coefficient  for  ver¬ 
tical  curves  will  remain  constant. 

As  the  mean  vertical  curve  represents  a  certain  width  of  cross- 
section,  coefficient  for  vertical  curve  remaining  constant,  we  can  trace 
out  the  form  of  the  vertical  curve  at  any  point  in  this  width  by  the 
method  indicated  in  fig.  1,  when  the  average  velocity  and  depth  at 
the  point  are  known. 

As  a  further  relation  between  vertical  curves  in  the  different  ver¬ 
tical  planes,  we  must  also  assume  that  they  will  be  changed  according 
to  the  same  law,  i.  e.,  coefficient  for  vertical  curves  remaining  con¬ 
stant,  velocities  located  by  percentages  of  the  depth  will  all  vary  in 
the  same  proportion. 

The  following  table  gives  the  list  of  transverse  curves,  vertical 
curves,  and  coefficients  for  vertical  curves: 

Table  No.  3. — List  of  transverse  curves ,  vertical  curves,  and  coefficients  f or 

vertical  curves. 


Transverse 

Vertical  curves. 

curves. 

Num¬ 
ber  of 

N  umber 

Coeffi- 

Span 

Sta- 

of  curves 

cient  for 

No. 

ob- 

served. 

tion. 

ob¬ 

served. 

vertical 

curves. 

1 

rf 

i 

2 

10 

0. 89 

6 

3 

11 

0.88 

»> 

7 

£ 

13 

0.90 

i 

10 

0.94 

6 

3 

13 

0. 96 

3 

9 

i 

6 

0. 80 

4 

5 

4 

0.91 

(5 

3 

0 

0.87 

4 

8 

A 

8 

0.90 

A 

I  Q 

10 

0. 92 

11 

0. 93 

5 

9 

A 

11 

0. 95 

6 

11 

0. 90 

1() 

12 

10 

0.94 

Transverse 

curves. 

Vertical  curves. 

Num- 

Number 

Coeffi- 

Span 

Sta- 

of  curves 

cieutfor 

No. 

tion. 

ob- 

vertical 

served. 

served. 

curves. 

6 

10 

A 

13 

0.88 

4 

T2 

1 

0.85 

ti 

T2 

8 

0.90 

A 

5 

0.92 

T2 

8 

0. 80 

10 

£ 

6 

0.84 

4 

3 

3 

0. 93 

e 

3 

6 

0. 91 

8 

i 

i 

18 

0. 95 

i 

10 

0. 94 

6 

14 

0. 94 

9 

6 

1 

10 

1.01 

Total 

73 

236 

For  the  coefficient  for  vertical  curves  for  intermediate  stations  it  is 
necessary  to  interpolate.  In  span  No.  G  the  vertical  curves  were 
taken  closer  together,  for  the  reason  that  there  is  a  sunken  caisson 
in  the  bed  of  the  river  about  75  feet  below  the  discharge  section. 
The  caisson  is  located  directly  below  station  T4¥,  and  its  effect  is 
readily  traceable  in  the  cross  section  and  curve  of  average  velocity. 

A  mean  transverse  curve  is  formed  from  the  individual  transverse 
curves  of  each  span  by  averaging  the  velocities  at  the  ^  depth 


JULIUS  BIEN  &  CO  PrfOTO  UTH 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


-  j  \  y>\\,  U  >■%  '  “  ■ 


DEEP  WATEKWAYS. 


313 


point,  these  velocities  in  some  cases  being  corrected  for  direction 
when  near  the  piers.  This  mean  transverse  curve  is  reduced  to  a 
curve  called  the  average-velocity  curve  by  multiplying  the  average 
velocity  at  the  t3q  depth  point  at  each  station  by  the  respective  coeffi¬ 
cient  for  the  vertical  curves  at  that  station.  This  curve  is  shown 
in  plate  88  and  gives  the  average  velocity  in  any  vertical  plane  and 
at  any  point  of  the  cross  section.  The  stage  of  the  river  corre¬ 
sponding  to  this  curve  in  each  span  is  taken  as  the  mean  of  the 
observed  stages  during  the  times  of  the  individual  transverse  curves. 

Mean-velocity  coefficients. — The  observations  for  discharge,  as 
already  stated,  were  made  at  the  T3^  depth  point  at  meter  stations,  one 
in  each  one-lialf  or  one- third  part  of  span.  Assume  for  the  present 
that  the  mean  velocity  in  the  one-half  or  one-third  part  of  span  will 
vary  directly  with  the  observed  velocity  at  the  T3¥  depth  point  at  the 
meter  station. 

The  problem  then  is  to  find  the  ratio  of  these  two  quantities  so 
as  to  change  from  observed  velocity  to  mean  velocity. 

In  connection  with  the  transverse  curves  it  will  be  remembered 
that  observations  were  taken  at  the  T3F  depth  point  at  the  meter 
stations.  Compute  the  discharge  for  each  one-half  and  one-third 
part  of  span,  corresponding  to  the  mean  stage  of  the  transverse 
curves.  To  do  this,  draw  a  discharge  curve  (plate  89),  the  points  of 
the  curve  being  obtained  by  multiplying  the  average  velocity  at  any 
point  by  the  corresponding  depth  at  that  point.  The  discharge 
equals  the  area  of  the  figure  and  is  easily  found  by  means  of  the 
planimeter.  Obtain  the  area  of  cross  section  for  each  one-half  or 
one-third  part  of  span,  corresponding  to  the  mean  stage  of  the  trans¬ 
verse  curves.  Discharge  divided  by  area  gives  the  mean  veloctiy. 

Then — 

Mean  velocity _ Mean  velocity  i  or  A  span, 

Coefficient  —  Mean  of  observed  velociries  at  T3„  depth  point  at  meter  station. 

It  has  been  assumed  that  this  coefficient  would  be  constant.  To 
investigate  the  subject,  consider  the  discharge  from  each  one-half  or 
one-third  part  of  span  as  forming  a  solid,  the  cross  section  being  the 
base  and  the  velocities  the  ordinates.  The  coefficient  and  form  of  the 
vertical  curve  at  the  meter  station  are  known  from  observation.  The 
coefficient  for  the  vertical  curves  in  the  width  of  one-half  or  one-third 
part  of  span  will  not  vary  more  than  2  or  3  per  cent,  and  may  be  taken 
as  constant  for  this  discussion.  Velocities  located  by  percentages  of 
the  depth  will  all  vary  in  the  same  proportion.  The  mean- velocity 
coefficient  would  be  constant  under  the  following  conditions: 

1.  The  cross  section  remaining  constant  while  all  the  ordinates  of 
the  solid  increase  or  decrease  in  the  same  proportion. 

2.  The  cross  section  to  remain  of  the  same  form  while  ordinates  of 
the  solid,  located  at  similar  points  of  the  cross  section,  remain  con¬ 
stant,  increase  or  decrease  in  the  same  proportion. 


314 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


3.  The  velocities  located  by  percentages  of  the  depth  to  remain 
constant,  while  the  volume  and  area  of  cross  section  increase  or 
decrease  in  the  same  proportion. 

A  change  of  form  under  condition  1  is  possible,  and  as  all  ordinates 
change  in  the  same  proportion  it  is  evident  that  the  mean-velocity 
coefficient  will  remain  constant. 

A  change  of  the  cross  section  to  one  of  a  similar  form  can  not  take 
place  when  the  sides  of  the  cross  section  are  vertical.  In  general, 
then,  we  must  expect  a  slight  change  in  the  mean-velocity  coefficient 
when  the  stage  varies. 

Condition  3,  followed  or  preceded  by  a  change  under  condition  1, 
covers  all  cases  where  the  mean-velocity  coefficient  can  remain  con¬ 
stant.  The  simplest  case  in  which  these  two  conditions  are  satisfied 
is  that  of  a  rectangular  cross  section.  To  find  the  effect  of  a  change 
of  stage  on  the  mean-velocity  coefficient,  for  the  particular  solids  we 
have,  a  range  of  stage  of  5  feet  has  been  considered,  24  feet  above  and 
24  feet  below  the  mean  stage  of  each  span,  corresponding  to  the  trans¬ 
verse  curves.  Assume  the  velocities  at  precentages  of  the  depth  to 
remain  constant.  Any  requisite  change  in  depth  can  be  made  in  this 
way  with  some  resulting  change  in  the  area  of  the  cross  section  and 
volume  of  the  solid.  Then  with  the  area  of  cross  section  remaining 
constant  all  ordinates  can  be  increased  or  decreased  proportionally 
and  will  not  affect  the  mean-velocity  coefficient.  So  the  only  change 
that  it  is  required  to  investigate  is  the  change  of  area  of  cross  section 
and  volume,  while  the  velocities  at  percentages  of  depth  remain  con¬ 
stant.  If  these  two  quantities  increase  or  decrease  in  the  same  pro¬ 
portion,  the  mean  velocity-coefficient  will  remain  constant. 

For  a  rise  of  river  stage  the  area  of  cross  section  will  be  increased 
by  the  product  of  the  width  and  increase  in  depth  of  water.  The 
volume  of  the  solid  has  already  been  computed  for  each  one-half  or 
one-third  span  from  the  curve  of  average  velocities.  This  will  be 
increased  by  an  amount  represented  in  one  of  the  vertical  curves  (fig. 
1)  by  A  and  decreased  by  the  amount  represented  by  B. 

The  volume  represented  by  A  is  obtained  as  follows:  Find  the  area 
of  one-lialf  or  one-third  span  of  the  curve  of  average  velocities  and 
divide  this  by  the 

Average  velocity  in  vertical  plane 

Surface  velocity 

obtained  from  the  mean  vertical  curve  at  the  meter  station.  This 
will  give  the  area  of  the  base  of  the  solid  A;  the  height  will  be  the 
increase  in  the  depth  of  water.  The  volume  of  the  solid  represented 
by  B  is  obtained  as  follows:  The  form  of  the  vertical  curve  at  any 
point  can  be  determined  from  the  vertical  at  the  meter  station.  It 
can  be  easily  proven  that  the  areas  represented  by  B  are  proportional 
to  the  horizontal  projections  of  the  vertical  curves  at  the  respective 
points;  but  the  horizontal  projections  are  in  the  same  ratios  as  the 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


315 


average  velocities.  So  we  have  the  area  represented  by  B  at  any  point 
is  proportional  to  the  average  velocity  at  that  point.  The  volume 
can  then  be  easily  computed. 

In  general  for  the  solids  we  have  both  area  of  cross  section  and 
volume  increase  in  about  the  same  proportion.  The  following  table 
gives  the  results  of  the  computations  for  the  mean-velocity  coefficients: 

Table  No.  4. — Mean  velocity  coefficients  for  computing  discharge  measurements. 


Elevation  of  water  surface  at  discharge  sec- 

tion  above  mean  tide  at  New  York. 

Span  No. 

564. 

565. 

566. 

567. 

568. 

569. 

[East  4 . 

0.80 

0.82 

0.85 

0. 89 

0.90 

0.92 

1 

\West  4  . . . . 

.63 

.  6S 

.  62 

.62 

.61 

.61 

| East  4. . 

*  .93 

.93 

.93 

.92 

.92 

.91 

IWest  4  . . . 

.95 

.  95 

.95 

.95 

.95 

.95 

[East  4 . . 

.91 

.90 

.89 

.88 

.86 

.  85 

iWest  4 . 

.82 

.82 

.82 

.82 

.81 

.81 

(East  4 . 

.91 

.91 

.id 

.91 

.91 

.91 

4 

Middle  4 . . 

.91 

.91 

.91 

.91 

.91 

.91 

1  West  4  . . . . . . 

.86 

.86 

.  80 

.86 

.85 

.85 

East  4 . 

.94 

.94 

.94 

.94 

.94 

.  94 

5 

■(Middle  4 . - . 

.91 

.91 

.  92 

.92 

.  92 

.92 

1  West  4. . . . . 

.91 

.91 

.  90 

.90 

.  90 

.90 

East  4 . . . . . . 

.86 

.  80 

.87 

.87 

.87 

.87 

6 

1  Middle  4 . 

.88 

.  88 

.89 

.89 

.89 

.89 

|West4  . . . . . . 

.81 

.81 

.80 

.80 

.80 

.80 

[East  4 . 

.80 

.80 

.79 

.79 

.79 

.78 

1 W est  4 . . . . 

.91 

.91 

.91 

.91 

.90 

.90 

[East  4 . . . 

.93 

.  93 

.93 

.  93 

.92 

.92 

i  W est  4 . . . 

.93 

.93 

.93 

.93 

.93 

.  93 

|East  4 . . 

1. 15 

1. 15 

1.14 

1.12 

1.12 

111 

\W est  4 . 

1.17 

1.17 

1.17 

1. 17 

1.17 

1.17 

The  observations  of  the  individual  vertical  and  transverse  curves 
being  approximately  at  the  mean  stage  of  the  river,  566.5,  the  mean 
velocity  coefficients  for  this  stage  are  practically  independent  of  any 
assumption  in  regard  to  the  change  in  the  form  of  the  vertical  curves 
when  the  stage  varies. 

The  mean  velocity  coefficient  does  not  follow  any  regular  law  as  the 
stage  changes,  but  depends  simply,  as  stated,  on  the  relative  increase 
or  decrease  of  the  quantities  and  of  cross  section  and  volume  of  solid 
when  the  velocities  at  percentages  of  the  depth  are  assumed  to  remain 
constant. 

The  effect  of  a  triangular  cross  section  in  general  is  to  make  the 
mean  velocity  coefficient  decrease  as  the  stage  increases,  but  the  form 
of  the  solid  may  be  such  as  to  more  than  balance  this  effect  and  even 
reverse  the  law. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  variation  of  the  mean  velocity  coefficient 
for  a  change  from  low  stage  to  high  stage  does  not  exceed  about  2  per 
cent,  and  generally  decreases. 

Curves  of  fall  on  Niagara  River  {plate  89). — This  plate  shows  graph¬ 
ically  the  fall,  in  feet,  from  Lake  Erie  to  the  various  gauges  which  are 
read.  The  curves  were  obtained  from  simultaneous  gauge  readings 
taken  at  ten-minute  intervals  throughout  the  day.  From  these  gauge 
readings  daily  means  and  means  of  one-third  part  of  the  day  were 
worked  out  and  used  as  individual  observations  for  determining  the 


3]  6 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


fall.  Thus  the  daily  mean  is  the  mean  of  GO  readings,  and  the  mean 
for  one-third  part  of  the  day  the  mean  of  20  readings. 

The  falls  computed  from  these  means  were  then  platted  and  a 
straight  line  or  curve  fitted  to  the  points.  Considerable  care  has 
been  taken  in  the  selection  of  observations  to  see  that  the  lake  gauge 
1  L  or  2  L  was  not  fluctuating  too  much  and  that  the  slope  conditions 
remained  fairly  stationary.  The  following  table  gives  the  data  in 
connection  with  the  curves: 

Table  No.  5 — Curves  of  fall  of  Niagara  River. 

Number 
of  obser¬ 
vations 
(see  In¬ 
dex). 


36 

56 

67 

56 

56 

12 

92 

16 

67 

92 


1  Erie  Basin. 

The  distances  from  gauge  No.  2  have  been  measured  along  the  cen¬ 
ter  line  of  the  river  in  about  the  mean  direction  of  flow. 

The  range  in  fall  of  the  individual  observations  in  gauges  Nos.  1,  2, 
and  2  C  was  about  0.04  foot;  in  gauges  2  B,  2  A,  and  2  C,  about  0.10 
foot,  and  in  the  remaining  gauges  about  0.15  foot. 

Within  the  limit  of  the  observations  the  curves  are  thought  to  be 
quite  reliable;  beyond  these  limits  they  should  be  taken  simply  as  an 
approximation. 

Computations  for  discharge. — The  mean  velocity  for  each  one-half 
or  one-third  span  is  obtained  by  multiplying  the  observed  velocity  at 
yV  depth  by  the  mean  velocity  coefficient.  This  mean  velocity  multi¬ 
plied  by  the  area  of  cross  section  of  the  one-half  or  one-third  span  for 
the  observed  stage  gives  discharge  of  this  part  of  the  span.  The  sum 
of  the  partial  discharge  gives  total  discharge.  The  following  tables 
give  the  reductions  of  one  of  the  measurements : 


Gauge 

No. 

Distance 
from 
gauge 
No.  2. 

1 

Feet. 

(>) 

2  C 

0 

Q 

u 

0 

2D 

1.220 

2  A 

2. 550 

2  B 

3.260 

2  E 

3, 780 

3 

4,370 

3  A 

5,550 

4 

7,070 

6 

12,250 

rr 

1 

12,250 

8 

15,250 

Equations  of  curves: 
x  being  fall  from  lake  level  in  feet. 
y  being  elevation  of  lake  above  570. 


x- 

x= 

fe 

x= 

x= 

X- 

x= 

X- 

e 

{£ 

!i. 

ii 

■6- 


0. 13 . 

0. 678+0. 010  (y) . 

1. 11914— 0. 1714  /3'  14014-2/  for  y  <  2.  70 . i 

-0.1776  +0.35531!/)  for?/ S3. 70 . 

1.326  +0.037  ( y ) . 

1.606+0.037  (y)  . . . . 

1.976  +0.037  (?/) . 

2. 636+0. 081  (y) . 

2.981+0.081  (2/). . - . 

4. 5846-0. 4714/3. 09389-!/  for  y  <  2. 45 . 

3. 486  +0. 294  (y)  for  y  -t  2. 45 . 

4. 8126-0. 4714/3. 09389-2/  for  y  5  2.  +5 . 

3.  714  +0. 294  ( ?/) _ for  y  >  2. 45 . _ 

5. 2444  -0. 4714  /3. 09389  - y  for  y  <>  2. 70 . 

3. 9334  +0. 376  (y) _ _ for  ?/  >  2.  70 . 

5. 3244  -0. 4714  /3. 09389  -2/  for  y  ^  2.  70 . 

4.0134+0.376(2/)  for  y  >2. 70 . 

5. 5304  -0. 4714  /  3. 09:489-2/  for  y  <,  2. 70 . . 

4. 2194  +0. 376  ( y )  for  y  >2. 70 . 


Variation  in 
y covered 
by  observa¬ 
tions  ob¬ 
tained. 


1.8  to  2. 6 
1.8  to  2. 7 

1.8  to  2.  7 

2.0  to  2. 7 
1.8  to  2. 7 
1.8  to  2. 7 
2.0  to  2.  7 
1.25  to  2.7 

1.8  to  2.7 
1.8  to  2.8 
1.25  to  2.8 
1.8  to  2.8 
1.8  to  2.8 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


317 


Table  No.  6. — Discharge  measurement  No.  13. 

[Direction  meter  A,  No.  12.  December  3,  1897.] 


Station. 

Time 
of  day. 

Elevation 
of  water 
surface 
at  sec¬ 
tion. 

Velocity 
observ¬ 
ed  at  A 
depth. 

Mean 

velocity 

coeffi¬ 

cient. 

Mean  ve¬ 
locity. 

Area  of 
croSs  sec¬ 
tion. 

Dis¬ 
charge 
per  sec¬ 
ond. 

Dis¬ 
charge 
by  spans. 

/§ . 

8.12 

565.85 

1.63 

0. 85 

1.39 

408 

Cu.  feet. 

|  1, 585 

1 

|| . 

8.18 

2.44 

.62 

1.51 

1,018 

i,7a5 

2,095 

8,304 

8, 663 
13, 136 
21,512 
17,408 
18,048 
16,257 
14,579 
12,324 
12,451 
6,439 

6, 703 
6,946 
5,071 
3,990 
817 

ff . . 

8.30 

2. 59 

.93 

.95 

2.41 

720 

|  3,830 

2 

\f . 

8.50 

2.  71 

2. 57 

815 

ri . 

8.55 

4. 75 

.89 

4.23 

1,963 
2,024 
2.623 
3,890 
3, 103 
3, 101 
3,005 
2,646 
2,426 
2,638 
1,460 
1,710 

j-  16,967 
| 

3 

11 

9. 00 

565. 77 

5  22 

.82 

4.28 

(A . 

9. 14 

565. 77 

5.51 

.91 

5.01 

4 

9. 18 

565. 77 

6.08 

.91 

5.53 

1  52,056 

1^8 . 

9.20 

565.  77 

6.52 

.86 

5.61 

[*£ . . 

9.26 

6. 19 

.94 

5.82 

1 

5 

111---------- ------- 

9.31 

9.40 

565. 79 
565. 78 

5.88 

6.12 

.92 

.90 

5.41 
5. 51 

[  48,884 

(A . . 

9.46 

565.77 

5.84 

.87 

5.08 

| 

6 

9.53 

565. 76 

5.30 

.89 

4.72 

-  31,214 

HI . 

9.57 

565. 77 

5. 51 

.80 

4.41 

10. 02 

565. 78 

4. 96 

.79 

3.92 

]•  13,649 

7 

. 

If . 

10.06 

565. 79 

4.46 

.91 

4.06 

1.711 

8 

/I . 

10. 10 

565.80 

4.35 

.93 

4. 05 

1,252 

1,124 

295 

|  9,061 

10. 14 

565. 80 

3.82 

.93 

3.55 

9 

10.18 

565. 80 

2.43 

1.14 

2. 77 

|  875 

. 

11 

U.43 

1.17 

1.67 

a5 

58 

1  Approximate. 

Total,  178,121. 


Talle  No.  7. — Discharge  measurements  of  Niagara  River, 


318 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


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.rements  Nos.  34  to  73  were  furnished  by  the  United  States  Lake  Survey.] 


320 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Table  No.  7  gives  a  list  of  all  the  discharges.  Columns  c,  d,  e,  f,g, 
and  h  give  the  weighted  elevation  of  the  water  surface  at  the  various 
gauges  at  the  time  of  the  discharge  measurement.  The  elevations 
were  determined  from  simultaneous  gauge  readings  taken  at  ten-min¬ 
ute  intervals.  The  gauge  readings  were  worked  out  which  correspond 
with  the  time  of  observing  for  discharge  in  each  span.  These  read¬ 
ings  were  then  weighted  in  the  proportion  of  the  discharge  of  the 
respective  spans,  thus  giving  a  weighted  mean  elevation  of  water 
surface  during  the  time  of  the  discharge.  Gauges  1  L  and  2  L  were 
taken  as  the  lake  gauge.  They  gave  results  for  lake  level  which 
agreed  within  0.01  foot,  so  either  could  be  taken.  In  some  instances 
it  will  be  noted  the  lake  gauge  has  not  been  read,  and  in  such  cases  it 
was  necessary  to  use  some  other  gauge  as  a  base  from  which  to  com¬ 
pute  the  lake  level.  Columns  i,  j,  and  A’  give  these  computed  lake 
elevations.  The  working  up  of  the  gauge  records  showed  that  gauge 
No.  1  was  not  a  reliable  base  from  which  to  compute  lake  level.  The 
gauge  is  located  in  Erie  Basin,  and  the  entrance  is  protected  by  break¬ 
waters.  With  the  lake  surface  fluctuating  rapidly  the  water  surface 
in  Erie  Basin  would  lag  behind  that  of  the  lake  surface.  This, 
together  with  local  currents  around  the  breakwater  resulting  from 
winds  and  Buffalo  Creek,  seemed  to  justify  the  throwing  out  of  read¬ 
ings  on  this  gauge  as  furnishing  a  base  for  lake  level. 

Lake  elevations  computed  from  gauge  No.  2  are  given  the  preference 
where  this  gauge  has  been  read.  The  law  for  the  fall  from  lake  to 
gauge  No.  2  is  well  determined  within  the  limits  of  the  observations 
for  fall,  and  even  beyond  these  limits,  with  slope  conditions  fairly 
stationary,  the  error  of  a  computed  lake  elevation  would  probably  not 
exceed  about  0.05  foot.  The  error  from  gauge  No.  3  under  the  same 
conditions  would  probably  not  exceed  about  0.10  foot.  Column  m 
gives  the  elevations  of  the  lake  at  Cleveland  for  the  dates  of  the  dis¬ 
charge  measurements.  These  elevations  are  a  good  approximation  to 
the  mean  elevation  of  the  lake  for  the  respective  dates,  and.have  been 
taken  as  such.  Column  n  gives  the  amount  the  water  was  raised  or 
lowered  from  the  mean  level  under  the  influence  of  wind.  Columns 
o  and  p  give  the  fluctuations  of  the  level  during  the  measurement. 

In  working  up  the  results  of  these  measurements,  in  place  of  consid¬ 
ering  all  observations,  and  with  equal  or  unequal  weights,  it  was 
thought  a  more  reliable  law  of  the  relation  of  discharge  to  lake  level 
could  be  obtained  by  taking  selected  observations. 

To  this  end  the  following  arbitrary  limits  were  used  in  the  selection 
of  discharge  observations: 

Elevations  of  Lake  Erie  at  Buffalo:  Not  to  exceed  0.60  foot  above 
elevation  of  lake  at  Cleveland;  not  to  exceed  1.20  feet  below  eleva¬ 
tion  of  lake  at  Cleveland. 

Fluctuation  of  lake  level  during  observation:  Not  to  exceed  0.50 
foot. 

Wind  velocity:  Not  to  exceed  15  miles  per  hour  (fresh  to  brisk). 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


321 


It  will  be  noted  from  the  table  of  discharges  that  with  strong  winds 
the  slope  conditions  are  very  changeable  and  gauge  fluctuating.  With 
the  wind  from  the  northeast  or  southwest  the  water  is  raised  or  low¬ 
ered,  respectively,  from  the  mean  level  of  the  lake,  and  there  is  danger 
of  the  discharge  being  influenced  by  the  conflict  of  the  return  current 
and  current  in  the  river.  It  is  thought  that,  with  the  limits  used,  only 
the  most  reliable  discharges  have  been  included.  Out  of  the  72  dis¬ 
charges,  13  have  been  accepted,  and  cover  a  range  in  lake  stage  of 
about  2.3  feet.  A  curve  has  been  adjusted  to  lit  these  13  observations 
by  the  method  of  least  squares,  giving  each  observation  a  weight  of 
unity.  The  equation  of  the  curve  is — 

x  =  168812  +  17762  ( y )  +  1109  (y)~ 

where  x  is  the  discharge  in  cubic  feet  per  second  and  y  the  elevation 
of  Lake  Erie  in  feet  above  570. 

This  curve  has  been  plotted  on  plate  89,  together  with  the  discharges 
taken  from  Table  No.  7. 

In  the  measurements,  where  the  lake  level  has  not  been  directly 
observed  there  may  be  a  slight  error  in  the  values  used,  but  the 
changing  of  these  elevations  by  0.05  or  0.10  foot  will  not  affect  the 
position  of  the  discharge  curve  by  more  than  one-fourth  of  1  percent. 
Measurement  No.  28,  while  complying  with  the  limits  for  the  selec¬ 
tion  of  observations,  seems  so  far  outside  the  range  of  the  other  meas¬ 
urements  as  to  indicate  some  unusual  condition  in  the  slopes,  and  it 
has  accordingly  been  rejected. 

The  greatest  error  of  an  accepted  observation  from  the  discharge 
curve  is  about  6,000  cubic  feet  per  second,  or  about  2.7  per  cent. 

The  range  in  the  discharge  measurements  at  any  lake  stage  is  about 
5  per  cent.  It  should  be  remarked  that  outside  the  limit  of  the  obser¬ 
vations  the  curve  can  only  be  expected  to  give  an  approximate  dis¬ 
charge. 

In  closing  this  report,  the  writer  wishes  to  acknowledge  the  valua¬ 
ble  Assistance  of  Mr.  (4.  B.  Mitchell,  who  has  assisted  in  making  the 
reductions. 

Very  respectfully,  C.  B.  Stewart, 

Assistant  En  g  ineer. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  8. 

REGULATION  OF  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

The  proposed  project  for  a  ship  canal  from  Lake  Ontario  to  the 
Atlantic  via  the  St.  Lawrence  and  Hudson  rivers  requires  that  the 
supply  of  water  for  locks  south  of  Lake  Champlain  and  for  power  for 
the  operation  of  gates,  be  taken  from  Lake  Champlain  at  times  of  low 
H.  Doc.  149 - 21 


322 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


water,  and  in  order  to  secure  an  adequate  flow  from  Whitehall  to  Fort 
Edward  the  level  of  the  lake  must  be  maintained  at  about  100  feet 
elevation  above  tide  water.  Any  less  elevation  than  100  feet  for  the 
summit  level  will  add  greatly  to  the  cost  of  construction,  and  any  rise 
above  the  natural  high-water  stage  will  cause  damage  to  private  prop¬ 
erty  around  the  lake  and  make  it  necessary  to  construct  regulating 
works  to  control  the  flow  through  the  canal. 

The  greatest  known  range  of  the  lake  levels  is  about  10  feet  and 
the  greatest  range  of  the  monthly  mean  levels  about  G.5  feet.  The 
fall  of  the  Richelieu  River  varies  in  a  distance  of  22  miles  from  0.4 
foot,  when  the  lake  is  at  elevation  of  93.5,  to  2  feet  for  lake  at  elevation 
of  101.5  above  tide  water. 

The  discharge  of  the  Richelieu  River  for  different  elevations  of  Lake 
Champlain  has  been  computed  from  the  corresponding  depths  on  the 
crest  of  the  dam  at  Chambly,  and  is  as  follows  (see  figs.  1  and  2) : 


Elevation  of  lake  at  Fort  Mont¬ 
gomery. 

Discharge 
of  the 
Richelieu 
River  at 
Chambly 
(cubic 
feet  per 
second). 

Elevation  of  lake  at  Fort  Mont¬ 
gomery. 

Discharge 
of  the 
Richelieu 
River  at 
Chambly 
(cubic- 
feet  per 
second). 

94  . 

5,000 
8,500 
12, 000 
15, 500 

98  . . . 

19.500 
24. 000 

29. 500 
30, 000 

95  . 

99  . 

90  . 

mo  . . . . . : _ 

9T  . . . 

101 . 

The  net  supply  to  the  lake  for  any  given  period  is  equal  to  the  sum 
of  the  discharge  and  storage  for  the  same  time. 

The  area  of  Lake  Champlain  is  43(5.7  square  miles,  and  a  rise  of  1 
foot  per  month  is  equivalent  to  storage  at  the  rate  of  4,632  cubic  feet 
per  second.  The  following  tables  give  the  monthly  mean  elevations 
of  the  lakes,  the  corresponding  discharge  of  the  Richelieu  River,  and 
the  monthly  mean  supply  to  the  lake  when  rising,  from  1875  to  1898, 
inclusive: 


CM 

CD 

lO 


C5 

rH 

o 

o 

Q 

W 


' 


APPENDIX  8,  FIG. 2. 


CM 


Monthly  mean  elevations  of  Lake  Champlain  at  Fort  Montgomery ,  N.  Y,,  1S75  to  1898. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


323 


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324 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


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DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


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DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


326 

The  watershed  of  the  lake  has  an  area  of  7,750  square  miles,  on 
which  the  average  precipitation  is  about  33  inches  per  year. 

Cubic  feet 
per  second. 

Mean  discharge  of  Richelieu  River. . . .  13,700 

Evaporation  from  lake  in  S  months  =  1.25  feet..  . . . . .  724 

Total.. . . . . .  13,424 

One  foot  storage  in  lake  =  386. 

Average  rainfall  on  lake  =  386  X  2.75. . . . . .  1, 061 

Average  run  off  from  watershed . . . . .  12, 363 

Average  run  off  =  65  per  cent  of  the  precipitation. 

The  discharge  for  an  elevation  of  101  feet  is  about  33,000  cubic  feet 
per  second,  or  equivalent  to  the  maximum  supply  to  the  lake.  The 
lake  has  not  exceeded  this  elevation  since  1875  except  when  affected 
by  wind,  and  the  mean  monthly  supply  has  exceeded  the  correspond¬ 
ing  discharge  only  once  (April,  1896).  The  rapid  rise  of  April,  1896, 
is  thought  to  have  been  abnormal  and  due  to  ice  in  the  Richelieu  River 
diminishing  the  flow  and  thereby  indicating  a  greater  supply  than 
actually  existed. 

During  low-water  years  the  lake  level  falls  to  an  elevation  of  about 
94  feet  above  tide  water  in  September  and  October,  with  a  discharge 
of  about  5,000  cubic  feet  per  second;  and  since  the  power  companies 
on  the  Richelieu  River  are  entitled  to  the  full  value  of  the  natural 
low-water  discharge,  any  diminution  produced  either  by  regulation 
or  use  of  feed  water  for  the  Hudson  River  Canal  must  be  made  good 
by  an  equivalent  supply  from  the  St.  Lawrence  River  through  the 
canal  from  Lake  St.  Francis  to  Lake  Champlain.  This  supply  will 
not  exceed  1,500  cubic  feet  per  second,  or  about  one-fourth  of  a  foot 
per  second  velocity  in  the  canal. 

In  order  to  maintain  the  low-water  level  of  Lake  Champlain  at  or 
above  elevation  of  100  feet  above  tide  water,  regulating  works  will 
have  to  be  constructed  near  the  foot  of  the  lake  capable  of  passing 
the  maximum  supply  to  the  lake  at  times  of  high  water  and  of  main¬ 
taining  the  discharge  at  about  5,000  cubic  feet  per  second  during  the 
usual  low-water  period  in  the  fall  of  the  year. 

Two  different  projects  have  been  proposed  for  this  purpose,  viz: 

First.  To  construct  a  dam  5,000  feet  long  between  Stony  Point  and 
Windmill  Point,  with  a  lock  and  regulating  sluices  at  Stony  Point, 
about  1.5  miles  south  of  Rouse  Point,  the  crest  of  the  dam  to  be  at  an 
elevation  of  99.5  feet,  and  the  sluices  of  sufficient  capacity  to  pass 
5,000  cubic  feet  per  second  when  the  lake  level  is  at  an  elevation  of 
100  feet  above  tide  water;  or, 

Second.  To  construct  a  dam  with  crest  above  the  high-water  stage 
of  the  lake,  and  sluices  at  Stony  Point  of  such  dimensions  that  when 
all  are  open  the  entire  volume  of  maximum  supply  may  be  passed. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


327 


With  the  first  of  these  plans,  the  discharge  when  the  lake  is  at  a 
stage  of  100  feet  will  he  approximately  5,000  x  2.8  x  (0.5)  *  5,000 

cubic  feet  per  second;  and  for  a  stage  of  101.5  feet  above  tide  water 
the  discharge  will  be  5,000  x  2.7  x  (2)  5=38,000  cubic  feet  per  sec¬ 
ond,  or  practically  the  maximum  supply  to  the  lake  during  the  greatest 
rise  of  the  lake  since  1871. 

The  change  of  the  lake  level  at  the  regulating  works  from  wind 
effect  and  the  consequent  fluctuations  of  the  discharge  through  the 
Richelieu  River  will  be  a  serious  objection  to  the  use  of  a  long  sub¬ 
merged  dam  for  the  purpose  of  controlling  the  lake  level.  If  the  dam 
be  built  up  to  the  elevation  of  high-water  stage,  and  a  sufficient  num¬ 
ber  of  sluices  constructed  to  pass  the  discharge  at  times  of  maximum 
supply,  the  flow  can  be  controlled  at  all  times  and  the  reservoir 
capacity  of  the  lake,  due  to  change  of  level,  utilized  so  as  to  maintain 
a  greater  low-water  discharge  than  under  natural  conditions. 

The  elevation  of  the  lake  at  Fort  Montgomery  for  a  discharge  equiva¬ 
lent  to  the  maximum  supply  to  the  lake  is  about  101  feet  above  tide 
water;  and  as  the  head  required  to  produce  and  maintain  flow  through 
the  sluices  will  be  about  0.75  foot,  the  high-water  stage  of  the  lake 
will  be  between  101.5  and  102  feet  above  tide  water,  or  a  range  of 
the  lake  level  of  less  than  2  feet,  when  not  affected  by  the  wind. 

At  the  site  of  the  proposed  dam  rock  crops  out  at  the  water  surface 
at  Stony  Point,  and  at  500  feet  from  the  shore  is  20  feet  below  the  pro¬ 
posed  plane  for  regulated  stage  of  the  lake,  making  a  favorable  loca¬ 
tion  for  a  lock  and  for  foundation  for  piers  and  sills  of  sluice  gates. 

If  these  sluices  be  made  20  feet  deep,  with  an  aggregate  width  of 
300  feet,  a  head  of  about  0.75  foot  will  be  required  to  pass  the  dis¬ 
charge  at  times  of  maximum  supply  to  the  lake.  Such  a  system  of 
sluices,  with  a  high  dam  for  the  control  of  the  lake  level,  will  be  more 
expensive  than  a  long  submerged  weir  with  a  single  sluice,  but  the 
more  complete  control  of  the  discharge  which  can  be  obtained  by  the 
use  of  the  former  is  of  sufficient  importance  to  warrant  its  adoption 
and  construction.  A  lock  300  feet  long,  GO  feet  wide,  14  feet  deep  on 
the  miter  sills,  with  lift  varying  from  1  to  7  feet,  depending  upon  the 
stage  of  water,  has  been  estimated  for  in  connection  with  the  regulat¬ 
ing  dam  and  sluices. 

The  maximum  volume  of  water  needed  for  feeding  the  Hudson 
River  division  of  the  Champlain  route  will  not  exceed  1 ,200  cubic  feet 
per  second,  and  for  a  large  portion  of  the  season  will  be  much  less. 
At  times  of  high  water  in  the  Hudson  River  the  water  in  the  river  at 
Fort  Edward  will  be  higher  than  in  Lake  Champlain  at  Whitehall, 
and,  if  desirable,  a  portion  of  the  Hudson  River  flood  may  be  diverted 
into  Lake  Champlain  through  the  canal.  Guard  locks  have  been  esti¬ 
mated  for  on  this  section  of  the  waterway,  so  that  the  flow  in  either 
direction  may  be  controlled  as  desired. 


328 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  details  of  estimate  for  regulating  works  and  lock  are  as  follows: 

Excavation  in  lake  . . . .  §89,223 

Embankment  .  12, 188 

Timber  crib  dam  . . . . . . . . . .  390, 434 

Sluice  gates,  piers,  and  operating  plant . . .  122. 300 

Lock  . _  . . .  . . . . . I.  276.099 


890. 244 


Engineering,  superintendence,  and  contingencies,  10  per  cent .  89,024 

Total . . .  979.268 

Respectfully  submitted. 


Geo.  Y.  Wisner. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  9. — Part  1. 

INSTRUCTIONS  FROM  SECRETARY  OF  WAR  FOR  THE  GUIDANCE 
OF  THE  BOARD  OF  ENGINEERS  ON  DEEP  WATRWAYS. 

Orders.]  War  Department, 

Washington ,  October  20,  1S97. 

The  orders  of  August  31,  1897,  promulgating  instructions  for  the 
guidance  of  the  Deep  Waterways  Board,  designated  and  appointed 
by  the  President  under  the  provisions  of  the  sundry  civil  appropria¬ 
tion  act  approved  June  4,  1897,  are  hereby  amended  and  enlarged  so 
as  to  read  as  follows: 

Par.  1.  The  said  Board  is  authorized  to  rent  such  necessary  office 
rooms  (except  in  the  city  of  Washington)  and,  when  the  exigencies  of 
the  service  will  not  admit  of  advertisement  and  contract,  to  purchase 
in  open  market  such  materials,  including  instruments,  books,  maps, 
field  outfits,  provisions,  and  other  supplies  of  any  kind,  as  in  its  judg¬ 
ment  are  deemed  necessary  for  the  prosecution  of  its  work,  and  to 
employ  such  assistance  as  it  may  deem  essential,  and  to  pay  such 
reasonable  compensation  therefor  as  it  may  deem  proper,  the  expenses 
for  all  purposes  not  to  exceed  the  amount  appropriated,  viz,  8150,000. 

Par.  2.  The  secretary  to  the  Board,  James  II.  Kidd,  is  hereby  des¬ 
ignate]  as  special  disbursing  agent  to  disburse  the  appropriation  in 
addition  to  his  duties  as  secretary,  lie  will  make  requests  on  the 
Secretary  of  War  for  funds  as  they  may  be  needed  from  time  to  time, 
said  requests  to  be  approved  by  the  president  of  the  commission,  and 
in  forwarding  the  same  will  name  some  United  States  depositary  in 
which  he  wishes  the  funds  placed,  and  state  the  address  to  which  he 
desires  the  notification  to  be  sent  to  him  from  the  Treasury  Depart¬ 
ment.  1  Ie  will  account  tor  all  expenditures,  as  well  as  for  all  property, 
under  the  orders  and  supervision  of  the  Board,  and  will  give  bond  in 
the  sum  of  $25,000  for  the  faithful  execution  of  these  duties.  An 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


329 


itemized  account  of  all  disbursements,  with  proper  vouchers,  will  be 
transmitted  monthly  to  the  War  Department  for  approval  and  trans¬ 
mitted  to  the  Auditor  for  settlement. 

Par.  3.  The  Board  shall  authorize  and  supervise  all  disbursements, 
and  the  power  to  approve  the  accounts  of  the  disbursing  officer,  so 
far  as  relates  to  the  necessity  or  expediency  of  the  expenditure,  and 
the  prices  paid,  is  hereby  delegated  to  the  president  of  the  Board,  and 
such  approval  by  him  shall  be  final  in  the  War  Department.  The 
approval  of  the  Board  by  the  president  shall  be  indorsed  on  the  account 
current. 

Par.  4.  Journeys  may  be  made  by  any  member  of  the  Board  when¬ 
ever  necessary  for  the  public  service,  subject  to  subsequent  approval 
by  the  Board.  Journeys  to  be  performed  by  the  employees  of  the 
Board  maybe  ordered  by  any  member  of  the  Board.  When  the  emer¬ 
gency  requiring  the  journey  does  not  permit  of  obtaining  an  order 
previous  to  making  the  journey,  the  employee  must  certify  upon  the 
expense  voucher  “that  urgent  public  duty  required  the  journey  to  be 
performed  without  previous  orders.”  All  journeys^  must  be  finally 
approved  by  the  Board,  and  the  vouchers  must  be  accompanied  by  that 
approval.  Through  tickets  must  be  obtained  for  all  travel  when  the 
journeys  are  to  be  continuous,  and  transportation  requests  used  when¬ 
ever  practicable. 

Par.  5.  All  vouchers  in  payment  for  articles  or  materials  shall  have 
attached  to  them  the  original  receipted  bill  or  bills  for  the  articles  or 
materials,  said  Dills  to  be  furnished  by  the  person,  firm,  or  corpora¬ 
tion  supplying  them. 

Par.  6.  The  following  reports  and  returns  shall  be  made  on  the 
forms  of  the  Corps  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army,  or  other  form 
authorized  by  the  War  Department,  and  transmitted  by  the  disburs¬ 
ing  officer  to  the  Secretary  of  War  within  ten  days  after  the  expira¬ 
tion  of  the  month  or  quarter  to  which  they  relate,  except  Form  13, 
which  will  be  rendered  within  twenty  days  after  the  expiration  of  the 
quarter,  Form  17,  which  will  be  rendered  at  the  close  of  business 
hours  of  each  week,  and  Form  14,  which  will  be  rendered  at  the  close 
of  the  month,  viz: 

(1)  Weekly  Money  Statement,  Form  17. 

(2)  Monthly  Money  Statement,  Form  14. 

(3)  Monthly  Account  Current,  in  duplicate,  Form  3. 

(4)  Monthly  Abstract  of  Disbursements,  in  duplicate  (Forms  4,  5, 
or  5a),  with  proper  vouchers  (Forms  0,  7,  8,  8a,  9,  9a,  10,  11,  12,  22, 
23). 

(5)  Quarterly  Return  of  Public  Property  Received  and  Expended, 
Forms  131,  132,  133,  and  13a. 

Par  7.  All  officers,  agents,  or  other  persons  who  are  charged  with 
the  safe-keeping,  transfer,  or  disbursement  of  the  public  moneys 
shall  keep  an  accurate  entry  of  each  payment  or  transfer,  and  shall 


330 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


render  distinct  accounts  of  the  application  thereof  according  to  the 
appropriation  under  which  the  moneys  may  have  been-  advanced  to 
them.  Every  officer  or  agent  who,  having  received  public  money 
which  lie  is  not  authorized  to  retain  as  salary,  pay,  or  emolument, 
fails  to  render  his  accounts  for  the  same,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of 
embezzlement,  and  shall  be  fined  in  a  sum  equal  to  the  amount  of  the 
money  embezzled,  and  shall  be  imprisoned  not  less  than  six  months 
nor  more  than  ten  years.  (R.  S.,  3623,  3643,  5491.) 

Par.  8.  An  error  made  in  an  account  must  be  corrected  in  the  next 
account  current  of  the  disbursing  officer  after  he  is  informed  of  the 
error,  and  reference  will  be  made  therein  to  the  particular  voucher  in 
which  the  error  occurred. 

Par.  9.  Funds  received  from  overpayments  previously  made  will 
be  entered  on  the  account  current  in  the  proper  column.  The  entries 
should  show  by  whom  and  to  whom  the  overpayments  were  made  and 
on  what  account,  and  refer  to  the  voucher  and  abstract. 

Par.  10.  Whenever  money  is  refunded  to  the  Treasury,  the  name 
of  the  person  refunding  and  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  done  must 
be  stated. 

Par.  11.  The  disbursing  officer  will  promptly,  at  the  close  of  busi¬ 
ness  at  the  end  of  each  month,  and  also  on  Saturday  of  each  week, 
when  that  month  does  not  end  on  Saturday,  transmit  to  the  War 
Department  a  statement  showing  explicitly  where  his  funds  are  depos¬ 
ited.  He  will  include  in  the  sums  claimed  to  be  on  deposit  only  such 
funds  as  have  been  officially  credited  to  him,  and  of  which  credit  he 
has  been  duly  informed  by  the  depositary.  All  public  funds  on 
deposit  must  be  to  the  official  credit  of  the  disbursing  officer. 

Par.  12.  Disbursing  officers  have  no  authority  to  insure  public 
money  or  property.  They  are  not  authorized  to  settle  with  attorneys 
of  claimants,  heirs,  executors,  or  administrators,  except  by  instruc¬ 
tions  from  the  War  Department  upon  accounts  duly  audited  and  cer¬ 
tified  by  the  proper  accounting  officers  of  the  Treasury.  (Sec.  3477, 
Rev.  Stat.) 

Par.  13.  All  payments  by  the  disbursing  officer  must  be  made  in 
checks  upon  his  deposit  in  a  public  depositary,  in  lawful  coin,  or  in 
United  States  notes.  Payments,  whenever  possible,  shall  be  made 
within  the  quarter  in  which  the  liability  was  incurred. 

Par.  14.  When  funds  are  available,  the  disbursing  officer  shall  pay 
cash  and  not  open  an  account. 

Par.  15.  When  the  disbursing  officer  draws  checks  in  payment  of 
accounts,  on  funds  placed  to  his  credit  with  an  assistant  treasurer  or 
other  depositary  of  t He  United  States,  he  will  note  upon  the  receipt 
taken  for  such  payment  the  number,  date,  and  amount  of  the  check 
given  in  payment  and  designate  the  assistant  treasurer  or  depositary 
upon  whom  it  is  drawn;  and  when  an  account  is  paid  in  part  by  cur¬ 
rency,  the  amount  of  the  same  will  be  stated.  The  same  rule  will  be 
observed  in  regard  to  invoices  of  funds  transferred.  Mutilated  checks 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


331 


shall  at  once  be  forwarded  to  the  depositary  to  which  they  pertain, 
and  a  record  made  on  the  stubs  of  the  check  book  of  the  date  of  t  rans¬ 
mission. 

Par.  16.  In  all  cases  of  contracts  for  the  performance  of  any  service 
or  the  delivery  of  articles  of  any  description  for  the  use  of  the  United 
States,  payment  shall  not  exceed  the  value  of  the  service  rendered  or 
of  the  articles  delivered  previous  to  the  payment. 

Par.  17.  Persons  employed  in  the  service  of  the  Board  may  be 
allowed  actual  expenses  for  travel  on  duty  under  orders.  For  all 
persons  except  the  members  of  the  Board  and  its  secretary,  and  mili¬ 
tary  and  naval  officers,  these  expenses  will  be  limited  as  follows: 

(1)  Cost  of  transportation  (including  parlor -car  fare)  over  the 
shortest  usually  traveled  route. 

(2)  Cost  of  transfers  to  and  from  railroad  stations,  not  exceeding  50 
cents  for  each  transfer. 

(3)  Cost  of  one  double  berth  in  a  sleeping  car,  or  customary  state¬ 
room  accomodation  on  boats  and  steamers  when  extra  charge  is  made 
therefor. 

(4)  Cost  of  meals,  not  exceeding  13  per  day  while  en  route,  when 
meals  are  not  included  in  the  transportation  fare  paid,  and  not  exceed¬ 
ing  $3  per  day  for  meals  and  lodgings  during  necessary  delay  en 
route. 

(5)  Cost  of  meals  and  lodgings,  not  exceeding  13  per  day,  while  on 
duty  at  places  designated  in  the  orders  for  the  performance  of  tem¬ 
porary  duty. 

When  such  expenses  are  less  than  825  under  any  given  order,  the 
certificate  of  the  person  performing  the  journey,  as  set  forth  in  Form 
9,  will  be  sufficient;  when  the  expenses  are  825  or  over,  the  affidavit 
of  the  person  will  be  required,  as  follows: 

I. - ,  solemnly  swear  that  the  above  account  is  correct  and  just,  and 

that  I  necessarily  performed  the  above  journey  on  public  business,  at  the  time 
specified,  with  all  practicable  dispatch,  by  the  shortest  usually  traveled  route,  in 
the  customary  reasonable  manner,  and  under  the  order  hereto  annexed;  that  I  did 
not  travel  on  any  conveyance  belonging  to  or  chartered  by  the  United  States:  that 
the  above  expenses  were  actually  and  necessarily  incurred  and  paid  by  me  in  per¬ 
forming  said  journey. 

Sworn  to  before  me  and  subscribed  in  my  presence  this - day  of - . 


The  legal  fee  for  the  same  may  be  included  in  the  account.  In  all 
cases  there  should  be  added  the  certificate  of  a  member  of  the  Board 
approving  the  account  and  certifying  that  the  travel  was  performed 
under  the  orders  specified  in  the  voucher. 

Par.  18.  No  member  or  employee  of  the  Board  shall  accept  vol¬ 
untary  service  for  the  Government,  or  employ  personal  service  in 
excess  of  that  authorized  by  law,  except  in  cases  of  sudden  emergency, 
involving  the  loss  of  human  life  or  the  destruction  of  property. 


332 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Par.  ID.  The  time  of  all  employees  noted  or  kept  as  hours  shall  be 
reduced  to  “days  of  eight  hours  each,”  and  the  rate  of  pay  shall  be 
noted  and  designated  as  the  rate  “per  day  of  eight  hours  each,”  and 
so  shown  upon  t lie  vouchers  or  pay  rolls,  as  the  case  may  be.  Time 
employed  should  not  be  shown  upon  the  pay  rolls  or  vouchers  in 
“hours,”  and  the  rate  of  pay  should  not  be  designated  as  “per  hour.” 

When  pay  rolls  or  vouchers  show  persons  to  have  been  employed 
and  paid  by  the  day,  there  should  be  added  to  the  certificate  1  he  state¬ 
ment  that  the  days  for  which  payment  has  been  made  were  “days  of 
eight  hours  each.” 

Par.  20.  When  it  is  intended  to  have  any  work  done,  service  pro¬ 
cured,  or  purchase  made,  by  contract  or  written  agreement,  all  the 
papers  in  the  case  must  previously  be  submitted  to  the  Board  for  its 
approval. 

Par.  21.  Where  il  is  clearly  for  the  benefit  of  the  United  States  that 
a  contract  should  be  extended,  power  is  hereby  delegated  to  the  Board 
to  grant  such  extension,  but  extensions  of  contracts  or  written  agree¬ 
ments  are  not  in  any  case  to  be  made  until  the  approval  of  the  Board 
has  been  obtained. 

Par.  22.  Vouchers  for  the  disbursement  of  money  will  correctly 
specify  the  quantity  and  price  of  each  article  bought,  the  name  and 
business  place  of  the  person  from  whom  it  is  procured,  and  the  date 
and  manner  of  purchase.  When  the  vouchers  are  for  services  ren¬ 
dered,  they  will  state  the  nature  and  period  of  service,  rate  of  pay  per 
day  or  month,  etc. 

Par.  23.  Original  vouchers  must  accompany  the  accounts.  Copies 
can  not  be  admitted  unless  accompanied  by  satisfactory  evidence  of 
the  loss  or  destruction  of  the  originals,  or  that  their  retention  is  indis¬ 
pensable  to  the  performance  of  duty. 

Par.  24.  When  originals  can  not  be  furnished,  copies  duly  certified 
as  true  by  a  disinterested  officer  of  the  Government  maybe  accepted. 

Par.  25.  When  vouchers  are  not  sent  with  the  account  to  which  they 
belong,  an  explanation  must  be  made  as  to  why  they  were  not  pro¬ 
duced  with  and  included  in  the  proper  account. 

Par.  26.  All  employees  of  the  Board  are  forbidden  to  give  or  take  re¬ 
ceipts  in  blank  for  public  money  or  property;  in  all  cases  the  voucher 
will  be  made  out  in  full  and  the  exact  amount  of  money  or  quantity  of 
property,  in  words,  will  be  written  out  in  the  receipt  before  it  is  signed. 
When  vouchers  are  sent  by  mail  for  signature,  the  date  in  the  receipt 
will  be  left  blank,  and  the  check  in  payment  will  not  be  drawn  until 
the  vouchers  are  received  back  properly  signed,  when  the  date  of  the 
check  will  be  added  to  the  receipt. 

Par.  27.  When  a  signature  is  not  written  by  the  hand  of  the  party 
it  must  be  witnessed. 

Par.  28.  When  an  account  is  presented  in  person  by  an  individual 
who  is  not  known  to  the  disbursing  officer,  the  latter  will  require  such 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


333 


evidence  of  identity  as  will  secure  the  Government  as  well  as  himself 
against  loss. 

Par.  29.  Upon  all  vouchers  for  purchases  or  for  services  other  than 
personal,  the  method  of  purchase,  or  of  procuring  the  service,  must 
be  shown,  and  if  “by  written  agreement,”  a  copy  of  the  agreement 
must  accompany  the  voucher. 

Par.  30.  Property  returns  will  be  rendered  quarterly.  After  a  com¬ 
plete  return  has  been  furnished,  if  there  have  been  but  few  changes 
during  a  subsequent  quarter,  it  will  be  sufficient  for  three  quarters  to 
state  these  changes. 

Par.  31.  At  the  time  when  vouchers  are  submitted  with  the  accounts, 
if  any  of  the  articles  purchased  as  noted  thereon  have  been  “expended 
and  applied  to  the  purpose  for  which  purchased,”  a  certificate  to 
that  effect  may  be  made  by  the  disbursing  officer  on  the  voucher,  and 
when  so  made  the  article  referred  to  need  not  be  taken  up  on  the 
property  returns. 

Par.  32.  The  certificate  of  an  authorized  agent  of  the  Board  of  the 
delivery  of  supplies  or  materials,  or  of  the  performance  of  service, 
shall  constitute  authority  to  the  disbursing  officer  for  payment  there¬ 
for;  but  should  the  facts  not  be  as  set  forth  in  said  certificate,  the 
amount  shall  be  charged  to  the  certifying  agent  and  be  credited 
to  the  disbursing  officer  in  the  settlement  of  his  accounts. 

Par.  33.  No  member  or  employee  of  the  Board  shall  be  pecuniarily 
interested,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  in  the  employment  of  any 
person,  or  the  purchase  or  supply  of  any  article  or  materials  for  the 
service  of  the  Board. 

Par.  34.  All  persons  having  charge  of  property  pertaining  to  the 
Board  shall  be  held  responsible  for  its  preservation  and  safe-keeping, 
and  shall  give  receipts  to  the  disbursing  officer  for  the  same.  They 
are  required  to  take  all  proper  measures  to  protect  it  from  loss, 
damage,  or  waste;  and  when  such  property  is  not  satisfactorily 
accounted  for,  the  person  to  whom  it  was  intrusted  shall  be  charged 
with  its  value. 

Par.  35.  In  all  cases  not  covered  by  these  regulations,  the  rules  for 
money  and  property  accountability  established  in  the  United  States 
Army  Regulations  of  1895,  so  far  as  applicable  to  the  service  of  the 
Board,  shall  be  observed. 

Par.  36.  The  instructions  to  United  States  disbursing  officers 
contained  in  circular  from  the  Treasury  Department  dated  August 
14,  1897,  and  published  in  General  Orders,  No.  53,  War  Department, 
Adjutant-General’s  Office,  August  25,  1897,  must  be  strictly  complied 
with. 

R.  A.  Alger, 

Secretary  of  War. 


334 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


% 


Appendix  No.  9. — Part  2. 

INSTRUCTIONS  TO  FIELD  PARTIES. 

The  following  instructions  are  for  the  general  guidance  of  field  par¬ 
ties,  and  will  be  supplemented  from  time  to  time  by  such  special 
instructions  from  the  Board  as  may  be  found  necessary  as  the  work 
progresses. 

The  immediate  object  of  the  work  is  to  obtain  data  for  the  develop¬ 
ment  of  plans,  estimation  of  cost,  and  the  construction  of  maps  and 
profiles  of  the  proposed  ship  canal  from  the  Great  Lakes  to  the 
Atlantic. 

Considerable  discretion  will  be  allowed  chiefs  of  parties  as  to  meth¬ 
ods  by  which  information  sought  shall  be  obtained  and  the  distribu¬ 
tion  of  work  among  members  of  the  party,  but  the  records  of  all  sur¬ 
veys  and  examinations  must  be  so  full  and  complete  that  they  may  be 
easily  and  correctly  interpreted  by  computers  in  the  office  of  the  Board 
without  assistance  from  the  engineers  who  make  the  observations. 

The  work  must  lie  such  that  when  reduced  and  plotted  a  paper 
location  may  be  made  of  the  proposed  ship  canal,  a  correct  estimate 
made  of  the  amount  and  kind  of  material  which  will  need  to  be  exea- 
uatecl,  and  the  size  and  character  of  all  necessary  structures  projected. 

ORGANIZATION. 

The  personnel  of  the  parties  herein  outlined  is  based  on  normal 
conditions  of  country,  a  full-sized  field  party  consisting  of  a  base¬ 
line  party,  level  party,  sounding  party  (where  needed),  two  or  three 
boring  parties,  three  stadia  parties,  and  draftsman  and  computers 
sufficient  to  keep  up  reduction  and  plotting  of  field  notes  as  close  as 
practicable  with  the  field  work.  All  parties  are  to  work  with  the 
general  purpose  in  view  that  the  combined  results  of  the  different 
divisions  should  be  sufficient  to  furnish  the  necessary  data  on  which 
to  base  designs,  plans,  and  estimates  of  proposed  ship  canal  route, 
and  in  order  that  the  best  progress  for  amount  of  work  done  shall  be 
obtained  it  is  essential  that  the  parties  should  not  duplicate  their  own 
work  or  that  of  others,  except  where  necessary  for  correcting  errors. 

Each  of  the  stadia  parties  should  consist  of  1  instrument  man,  1 
recorder,  2  rodmen,  and  1  stadia  man  for  open  country,  and  such 
axmen  as  may  be  needed  to  cut  lines  where  topography  of  wooded 
country  is  to  be  determined.  In  organizing  new  parties,  recorders 
and  rodsmen,  where  capable,  should  always  be  promoted  in  preference 
to  appointing  new  men. 

METHODS  OF  WORK. 

Reconnaissance. — A  careful  reconnoissance  should  1>e  made  of  the 
proposed  line  of  survey  by  the  assistant  engineer  in  charge  in  advance 
of  all  field  work,  to  determine  t lie  limits  of  survey  and  the  probable 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


335 


location  of  right  of  way  along  which  it  will  be  necessary  to  determine 
contours  carefully,  and  make  borings  sufficient  to  establish  the  eleva¬ 
tion  of  rock  surface,  where  it  exists  within  limits  of  probable  depth 
of  cut. 

Topography . — The  topography  will  be  based  on  continuous  transit 
and  level  lines  between  terminals  of  any  section  of  the  proposed  canal, 
and  be  determined  by  stadia  readings  from  the  stations  and  bench 
marks  of  said  lines  to  all  characteristic  points. 

Topography  will  be  taken  with  the  view  of  correctly  plotting  con¬ 
tours  for  2-foot  intervals  along  right  of  ways,  but  outside  of  such 
limit  slight  irregularities  of  the  surface  are  of  no  importance,  and 
only  elevations  of  characteristic  points  should  be  taken  by  the  stadia 
men,  and  sketches  made  between. 

Base  line  and  level  observations,  where  possible,  should  be  kept  in 
the  advance  of  topographical  work,  and  the  elevations  and  location 
of  transit  stations,  with  azimuth  of  line,  furnished  to  the  stadia  parties. 

Transit  tines. — The  distances  between  transit  points  of  main  line 
should  be  measured  with  a  steel  tape  of  which  the  length  has  been 
determined  by  actual  measurement  of  a  base  line  of  known  length,  or 
by  comparison  with  some  standard  measure  already  determined,  and 
such  distances  checked  by  intersections  on  known  points  or  by  stadia 
readings  of  the  topographical  parties. 

The  true  azimuth  of  the  survey  line  should  be  determined  at  inter¬ 
vals  of  about  5  miles  along  the  route,  by  observation  on  elongation  of 
Polaris,  for  the  purpose  of  correcting  the  transit  line  for  errors  of 
observation  and  for  change  in  azimuth  due  to  convergence  of  merid¬ 
ians.  To  determine  the  azimuth  of  a  line  from  observations  of  Polaris 
at  elongation,  a  set  of  readings  should  be  made  between  the  star  and 
reference  mark,  and  the  telescope  should  then  be  reversed  and  a  second 
set  made. 

The  difference  between  the  observed  azimuth  at  any  station  and 
that  brought  forward  from  previous  station  by  transit  line  is  always 
equal  to  the  algebraic  sum  of  the  errors  of  observations  and  the  change 
due  to  the  convergence  of  meridians.  The  latter  of  these  two  correc¬ 
tions  should  be  distributed  back  through  the  transit  stations  propor¬ 
tionately  to  the  respective  westings,  and  the  former  proportionately 
to  the  number  of  transit  stations  between  azimuth  stations.  In  order, 
therefore,  that  all  corrections  be  properly  applied,  there  should  be  an 
azimuth  determination  of  transit  line  in  advance  of  all  work  plotted 
on  office  map. 

Permanent  marks  as  reference  points  will  be  established  by  the 
transit  and  level  parties  at  frequent  intervals  along  the  line,  such 
that  any  paper  location  made  upon  the  maps  may  be  easily  and  cor¬ 
rectly  staked  out  on  the  ground  surveyed. 

Levels. — The  elevations  of  all  bench  marks  of  level  lines  will  be 
based,  wherever  possible,  on  the  elevation  of  bench  marks  established 
by  precise  level  parties  of  the  United  States  Lake  Survey,  and,  unless 


I 


336 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


checked  by  readings  on  points  of  known  elevations,  should  be  deter¬ 
mined  by  duplicate  lines  run  in  opposite  directions. 

Duplicate  level  lines  must  agree  within  the  amount  shown  by  the 

formula  1(  |(|  y  distance  between  bench  marks  in  miles. 

Frequent  readings  should  be  made  for  connecting  with  the  water 
surfaces,  wherever  the  lines  run  are  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  lakes, 
rivers,  or  canals. 

Methods  of  stadia  work. — Stadia  parties  should  be  furnished  with 
corrected  azimuths  of  transit  line,  and  all  stadia  circuits  should  be 
carried  forward  from  such  initial  directions  and  checked  on  other 
lines  of  known  azimuth  wherever  possible.  Where  this  can  not  be 
done,  the  magnetic  azimuth  of  lines  should  be  read  occasionally,  and 
readings  made  to  prominent  points  on  the  line  of  survey,  the  location 
of  which  may  be  independently  determined.  In  stadia  circuits,  stakes 
need  be  set  only  at  instrument  stations,  and  at  points  where  side  lines 
are  to  be  started  for  closures  made  with  other  circuits. 

Where  areas  of  timber  land  and  orchards  interfere  with  lines  of 
sights,  contours  may  be  developed  sufficiently  well  by  determining 
cross  profiles  at  intervals  by  stadia  readings  along  compass  line. 

Xo  matter  which  member  of  the  party  may  make  the  observations, 
it  should  be  distinctly  understood  that  he  should  make  the  complete 
readings,  both  as  to  direction  and  distance,  and  no  other  person  be 
allowed  near  the  instrument. 

The  instrument  man  and  recorder  should  make  the  observations, 
keep  the  records,  and  make  sketches,  except  where  the  conditions  are 
such  that  only  two  rod  men  are  needed,  in  which  case  the  extra  rod- 
man  may  be  detailed  to  sketch  or  make  reconnoissance  for  advance 
work. 

In  addition  to  readings  to  develop  contours,  all  buildings,  fences, 
roads,  creeks,  culverts,  bridges,  timber  lands,  etc.,  should  be  located, 
and  where  structures  are  on  line  of  probable  final  location,  the 
dimensions  and  character  should  be  noted.  'Highways,  fences,  rail¬ 
roads,  streams,  and  embankments  should  be  located  by  readings  to 
points  where  directions  change,  and  a  sketch  made  showing  connec¬ 
tion  between  consecutive  points.  Where  rivers  are  to  be  sounded, 
all  range  stakes  should  be  set  in  advance  by  either  the  transit  or 
stadia  field  parties. 

The  width,  depth,  and  cross-section  of  streams  for  high,  low,  and 
medium  stages  should  be  determined  wherever  possible.  The  limit 
of  work  for  survey  should  be  determined  by  reducing  side  shots  in 
the  field,  and  not  by  running  special  circuits  along  lines  of  elevation 
required. 

'Fiie  instrument  man  should  have  a  system  of  signals  for  his  party, 
such  that  he  may  direct  a  rodman  in  any  direction,  and  to  make  any 
kind  of  location  desired. 

In  all  cases  the  work  should  be  so  planned  that  stations  need  not  be 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


337 


reoccupied,  except  to.  start  newlines  or  to  correct  errors,  and  that 
work  done  by  other  divisions  of  the  main  party  will  not  be  duplicated. 

Where  possible  to  do  so,  the  stadia  party  should  leave  stakes  for 
boring  party  to  connect  with  when  holes  are  drilled,  and  thus  save 
labor  of  locating  holes  after  work  is  done.  Stadia  parties  in  the  field 
need  do  only  sufficient  plotting  to  insure  that  records  are  free  from 
error  and  that  sufficient  locations  have  been  made  to  develop  the 
topography. 

Borings. — Borings  will  be  made  at  such  intervals  and  depths  along 
the  lines  that  the  location,  amount,  and  kind  of  material  to  be  exca¬ 
vated  may  be  accurately  estimated  for  a  ship  canal  of  30  feet  depth 
located  within  the  limits  of  strip  surveyed. 

Reduction  of  notes. — The  field  party  should  keep  their  notes  re¬ 
duced  up  to  date  and  ready  for  checking  by  the  computers  in  office  of 
engineer  in  charge. 

All  notes,  records,  and  sketches  should  be  so  clear  and  complete 
that  no  misinterpretation  can  occur. 

PLOTTING  OF  FIELD  NOTES. 

In  the  office  of  assistant  engineer  in  charge  of  party  there  should 
be  a  draftsman  and  sufficient  computers  to  reduce  and  plot  the  field 
notes  as  fast  as  sent  in  by  the  stadia  parties. 

The  computers  should  be  men  capable  of  reducing  field  notes  and 
assisting  the  draftsman  in  plotting  preliminary  lines  and  circuits  on 
maps.  Maps  should  be  on  a  scale  of  1 :  2,500  or  1 :  5,000,  depending  on 
the  flatness  of  the  country,  and  should  be  drawn  on  mounted  paper 
28  by  40.5  inches  in  size,  with  working  limits  of  25  by  37  inches,  and 
laid  out  so  as  to  have  a  wide  margin  at  left-hand  end  of  completed 
map.  All  lines,  fences,  roads,  etc.,  should  be  plotted  with  india  ink 
and  all  contours  with  burnt  sienna. 

Transit  lines  and  important  stadia  circuits  should  be  plotted  by 
coordinates,  and  side  lines  and  readings  by  direction  and  distance. 
For  small  vertical  angles  no  reduction  for  distance  is  necessary  for 
side  shots,  and  for  main  circuits  the  correction  may  be  taken  direct 
from  a  table  prepared  for  that  purpose. 

Transit  line  distances  should  be  corrected  for  tape  error  and  tem¬ 
perature  before  plotting. 

Only  such  lettering  need  be  put  on  maps  as  necessary  for  a  correct 
interpretation,  and  no  azimuth  of  courses  except  line  indicating  the 
true  meridian  through  some  azimuth  or  transit  station. 

All  work  to  be  plain  and  accurate,  and  of  a  style  to  be  rapidly  done. 

FINISHING  FIELD  SHEETS  AND  REDUCTION. 

The  finishing  of  field  maps  not  provided  for  in  these  instructions 
and  the  reduction  for  publication  will  be  done  at  the  office  in  Detroit. 

All  maps  for  publication  are  to  be  reduced  to  a  scale  of  1 :  20,000  by 
means  of  a  pantograph,  such  reduced  sheets  to  show  the  amount  of 
H.  Doc.  149 - 22 


338 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


detail  to  be  put  on  tracings,  except  that  swamp  and  timber  areas  will 
be  indicated  with  topographical  symbols,  and  where  slopes  are  steep 
hacliures  will  be  used  instead  of  contours.  Where  wood  and  swamp 
areas  are  large,  only  the  limits  need  be  indicated  by  symbols.  The 
line  of  proposed  waterway  will  be  indicated  by  two  parallel  lines 
spaced  250  feet  apart,  except  in  open  rivers  and  lakes,  where  actual 
width  estimated  will  be  shown. 

Location  and  depth  of  borings  will  be  indicated  by  showing  eleva¬ 
tion  of  bottom  of  hole,  and  if  rock  be  found,  such  number  will  be 
followed  by  the  letter  R. 

The  projected  line  will  be  marked  every  1,000  feet  and  at  every  mile 
on  the  map,  and  a  profile  of  the  line  marked  to  correspond  with  that 
on  map  will  be  placed  at  bottom  of  the  sheet. 

REPORTS. 

A  weekly  report  should  be  made  at  the  end  of  each  calendar  week, 
giving  briefly  the  amount  of  work  done  and  any  other  information  of 
interest  or  importance. 

A  monthly  report  should  be  made  promptly  at  the  close  of  each 
month,  giving  a  detailed  statement  of  work  done,  condition  of  work 
or  works  in  progress  at  that  date,  and  other  important  information  or 
suggestions. 


Appendix  No.  10. 

NIAGARA  ROUTE  AND  CHAMPLAIN  ROUTE,  HUDSON  RIVER 
DIVISION— FLOOD  MEASUREMENTS  MOHAWK  RIVER— LEVELS 
FROM  HUDSON  RIVER  TO  LAKE  ONTARIO. 

Detroit,  Mich.,  January  15 ,  1900 . 

Gentlemen  :  I  have  the  honor  to  report  herewith  on  the  surveys 
and  examinations  intrusted  to  me  in  connection  with  the  proposed 
deep  waterway  from  the  lakes  to  the  Atlantic.  The  report  is  arranged 
under  the  following  headings: 

1.  A  waterway  from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Ontario  of  21  feet  and  30 
feet  depths. 

2.  A  waterway  from  Lake  Champlain  to  the  Hudson  River  at  Troy 
of  21  feet  and  30  feet  depths. 

3.  Flood -discharge  measurements  of  the  Upper  Mohawk  River  and 
other  streams. 

4.  Report  on  results  of  two  lines  of  levels  run  from  the  Greenbush 
bench  mark  to  Lake  Ontario. 

The  above  work,  excepting  item  4,  was  executed  by  one  organiza¬ 
tion,  made  up  in  Chicago  between  August  17  and  September  12,  1897, 
with  such  additions,  from  time  to  time,  as  the  necessities  of  the  work 
required.  After  purchasing  and  testing  instruments,  the  party  left 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


339 


Chicago  September  12,  1897,  and  arrived  at  Tonawanda,  N.  Y.,  the 
next  day,  and  immediately  began  the  surveys  for  the  Tonawamla- 
Olcott  route.  The  order  in  which  the  other  work  was  done  is  fully 
explained  in  the  reports  covering  it. 

I  wish  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  valuable  information  relating  to 
the  hydrography  of  the  Hudson  River,  from  the  Glens  Falls  Paper 
Company,  of  Fort  Edward,  N.  V.;  the  Duncan  Company,  of  Mechan- 
icville,  N.  Y. ;  the  Hudson  River  Power  Transmission  Company,  of 
Meehanicville,  N.  Y.,  an<l  Mr.  Frederick  Orr,  of  Troy,  N.  Y.  Mr. 
E.  A.  Bond,  State  engineer  and  surveyor  of  New  York,  permitted  me 
to  consult  the  original  maps  and  notes  of  the  survey  made  of  the 
Hudson  River  in  1866,  from  which  valuable  information  was  obtained. 

To  the  great  application  and  thorough  work  of  the  instrument  men 
in  charge  of  parties,  P.  H.  Ashmead,  .T.  H.  Brace,  H.  F.  Dose,  II.  C. 
Goodrich,  Curtis  Hill,  T.  .1.  Klossowski,  and  W.  George  Lee,  and  the 
superintendent  of  borings,  George  A.  Hammond,  much  of  the  progress 
of  the  work  is  due.  Mention  should  also  be  made  of  II.  IT.  Letter  and 
M.  W.  Tenny,  instrument  men ;  A.  A.  Conger,  M.  K.  Trumbull,  and 
E.  J.  Kelly,  recorders,  who  rendered  valuable  assistance  in  the  office 
at  Detroit  as  well  as  in  the  field.  Those  in  positions  of  less  respon¬ 
sibility  were  equally  faithful  and  energetic  in  the  performance  of 
the  duties  assigned  them.  A  list  of  all  the  men  employed,  with  length 
of  service  of  each,  is  filed  with  the  secretary  of  the  Board. 

The  instructions  of  your  honorable  Board  gave  me  great  freedom 
in  the  selection  of  assistants  for  the  various  positions,  and  resulted 
in  building  up  the  best  force  it  has  ever  been  my  good  fortune  to 
secure,  and  in  establishing  an  esprit  de  corps  not  otherwise  obtainable. 

Respectf u lly  su  1  nn  i  t ted . 

C.  L.  Harrison. 

Principal  Assistant  Engineer. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


WATERWAY'  FROM  LAKE  ERIE  TO  LAKE  ONTARIO,  EMBRACING  THE 
TONAWANDA-OLCOTT  AND  LASALLE-LEWISTON  ROUTES. 

Two  possible  routes  were  considered,  both  beginning  at  deepwater 
in  Lake  Erie,  near  Buffalo,  and  running  through  Black  Rock  Harbor 
and  the  Erie  Canal  to  near  the  head  of  Squaw  Island;  then  locking 
down  to  the  level  of  the  Niagara  River,  and  following  the  general 
course  of  its  right  branch  to  a  point  just  above  Tonawanda,  where 
the  routes  separate.  One  passes  through  Tonawanda  and  via  Lock- 
port  to  Lake  Ontario  at  Olcott.  This  is  designated  as  the  Tona- 
wanda-Olcott  route.  The  other  route  continues  down  the  Niagara 
River  from  Tonawanda  to  the  head  of  Cayuga  Island,  near  the  village 
of  Lasalle,  and  thence  across  the  country  in  a  northwesterly  direction 


340 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


to  the  Niagara  River  at  the  village  of  Lewiston,  and  thence  down  the 
river  to  Lake  Ontario.  This  is  designated  as  the  Lasalle-Lewiston 
route. 

SURVEYS. 

The  two  routes  being  identical  from  Lake  Erie  to  Tonawanda,  and 
then  passing  through  similar  territory,  the  surveys  and  examinations 
will  be  considered  as  of  one  project,  especially  as  the  work  was  being 
done  on  both  routes  at  the  same  time. 

The  following  parts  of  the  line  were  surveyed  by  this  party: 

Surveys  and  borings  from  the  breakwater  in  Lake  Erie  to  the  foot 
of  Squaw  Island,  including  soundings  at  site  of  Regulating  Works; 
from  Tonawanda  to  and  including  the  Olcott  Harbor;  from  Lasalle 
to  Lewiston. 

The  following  parts  of  these  routes  were  surveyed  by  James  Ritchie, 
assistant  engineer: 

Soundings  and  borings  at  foot  of  Lake  Erie  and  outside  of  break¬ 
water;  soundings  in  Niagara  River,  from  the  foot  of  Squaw  Island 
to  Tonawanda;  borings  in  Niagara  River,  from  foot  of  Squaw  Island 
to  Lasalle. 

The  soundings  in  the  Niagara  River  from  Tonawanda  to  Lasalle 
were  taken  from  the  survey  made  in  1896,  under  the  direction  of 
Maj,  Thomas  W.  Symons,  Corps  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  Army. 

The  soundings  in  the  Niagara  River  from  Lewiston  to  its  mouth, 
and  to  deep  water  in  Lake  Ontario,  were  taken  from  the  lake-survey 
charts  of  1875.  But  a  few  borings  and  soundings  were  taken,  June, 
1899,  on  the  shoal  off  the  mouth  of  the  Niagara  River,  to  determine 
the  character  of  material  to  be  excavated  and  what  changes  have 
taken  place  since  the  survey  of  1875. 

In  general,  all  surveys  were  made  in  accordance  with  the  instruc¬ 
tions  of  the  Board  as  given  in  Appendix  No.  9. 

The  base  lines  were  chained  with  a  standardized  steel  tape,  using 
spring  balance  to  insure  uniform  tension,  and  correcting  for  tempera¬ 
ture.  Observations  were  made  for  azimuth  about  every  5  miles. 
Topography  of  the  adjacent  territory  was  taken  by  stadia,  sufficient 
points  being  taken  to  develop  2-foot  contours.  Stadia  circuits  started 
from  a  known  point  on  the  base  line  and  closed  on  another  such  known 
point.  All  elevations  are  referred  to  the  bench  mark  on  the  light¬ 
house  at  Buffalo.  The  elevation  of  this  bench  mark  as  determined 
by  the  lake  survey,  partly  by  spirit  levels  and  partly  by  water  levels, 
starting  from  the  Greenbush  bench  mark  14.73,  is  589.807  feet  above 
mean  tide  at  New  York. 

A  duplicate  line  of  levels  was  run — using  wye  level  and  New  York 
rods — from  this  bench  mark  along  the  right  bank  of  the  Niagara 
River,  via  Tonawanda  and  Lasalle,  to  the  power  house  of  the  Cataract 
Construction  Company  at  Niagara  Falls.  Starting  from  bench  marks 


BORING  APPARATUS 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


341 


on  this  line  duplicate  lines  of  levels  were  run  from  Tonawanda  to 
Olcott  and  from  Lasalle  to  Lewiston,  and  permanent  bench  marks 
established  at  frequent  intervals.  At  each  point  where  observations 
foi  azimuth  were  made  a  monument  was  planted. 

BORINGS. 

Borings  were  made  along  the  general  line  of  the  survey  and  covered 
the  entire  width  of  any  probable  location  of  the  channel.  The  cross 
sections  on  which  they  were  taken  were  generally  spaced  about  1,500 
feet  apart,  but  if  the  material  penetrated  was  irregular  they  were  put 
down  closer  together,  and  when  very  regular  they  were  spaced  farther 
apart.  They  were  carried  to  a  depth  below  the  grade  of  the  30-foot 
channel,  or  to  bed  rock — no  attempt  being  made  to  penetrate  the  rock 
farther  than  to  satisfactorily  determine  that  it  was  bed  rock  struck 
and  not  detached  bowlders.  Several  diamond-drill  borings  were  put 
down  to  determine  the  character  and  stratification  of  the  bed  rock. 
They  are  fully  described  in  the  report  of  R.  C.  Smith,  superintendent 
of  diamond-drill  borings,  Appendix  No.  1!>.  Nearly  all  of  these  bor¬ 
ings  are  plotted  on  the  published  maps  and  are  designated  thus  ©. 
The  figure  preceding  this  mark  indicates  the  elevation  of  the  bottom 
of  the  hole,  and,  when  followed  by  the  letter  (R),  indicates  that  rock 
was  struck  at  that  elevation,  the  object  being  to  determine  the  eleva¬ 
tion  of  the  bed  rock,  within  the  limits  of  any  probable  excavation, 
and  the  character  of  the  material  overlying  it.  Samples  were  taken 
of  the  various  kinds  of  material  penetrated,  preserved  in  bottles  and 
properly  labeled  for  identification. 

The  apparatus  used  in  making  the  borings  is  shown  in  fig.  1.  A 
2-inch  rope  passed  from  the  drum  over  a  sheave  at  the  top  of  the  der¬ 
rick  and  was  attached  to  the  swivel  in  the  top  of  the  l^-inch  drill 
rods,  which  worked  inside  of  2 4- inch  flush-joint  casing.  Both  the 
casing  and  the  rods  are  those  used  in  ordinary  diamond-drill  work. 
With  a  hand  pump  water  was  forced  through  the  hollow  drill  rods 
and  passed  out  through  four  small  holes  in  the  cross  bit  attached  to 
the  lower  end,  and  then  up  to  the  surface  of  the  ground,  through  the 
annular  space  between  the  rods  and  casing,  bringing  with  it  all 
loosened  material.  The  material  was  loosened,  depending  on  its  char¬ 
acter,  by  churning  the  rods  or  by  turning  them  with  pipe  tongs.  The 
casing  was  worked  down  by  turning  with  pipe  tongs.  Bowlders  were 
broken  up  with  dynamite  when  encountered.  It  was  necessary  to 
haul  water  in  tanks  with  teams  for  nearly  all  the  holes,  which  added 
materially  to  the  cost  of  the  work. 

The  force  for  making  borings  consisted  of  1  superintendent  of  bor¬ 
ings  and  3  boring  crews,  each  composed  of  1  foreman,  3  laborers,  and 
1  teamster,  with  team  to  haul  water  and  move  the  machines  from  hole 
to  hole. 


342 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  surveys  were  begun  September  13,  1897,  and  completed  about 
March  1,  1898,  covering  a  period  of  five  and  one-half  months.  Owing 
to  delays  in  getting  the  apparatus  for  making  borings,  this  part  of  the 
work  was  not  begun  until  November  1,  1897,  and  completed  April  16, 
1898,  covering  a  period  of  five  and  one-half  months. 

Using  the  base  line  for  the  standard,  and  as  correct,  the  average 
error  of  closure  in  horizontal  distance  for  stadia  circuits  was  1  in 
1,250,  and  the  average  error  of  closure  in  elevation  was  0.177  foot. 

.  The  survey,  including  the  location  of  all  borings,  was  plotted  on 
the  standard  size  sheets,  28  inches  by  40.5  inches,  to  a  scale  of  1 :  5000, 
except  in  the  vicinity  of  the  gulf  on  the  Tona wanda- Olcott  route, 
where  a  scale  of  1 :  2500  was  used  for  three  sheets.  These  maps  were 
entirely  completed  by  this  party  for  the  survey  at  Buffalo,  for  the 
Lasalle-Lewiston  route,  and  about  one-third  of  the  Tonawanda-Olcott 
route,  the  other  two-thirds  of  this  route  being  mapped  in  the  main 
office  at  Detroit. 

The  total  length  of  line  surveyed  was  39  miles,  as  measured  along 
the  center  line  of  the  located  canal,  being  divided  as  follows: 


Miles. 

Buffalo,  regulating  works  to  foot  of  Squaw  Island _ _ _  2. 7 

Tonawanda-Olcott  route,  including  harber  at  Olcott _  _ _  _  25.7 

Lasalle-Lewiston  route _  _ _ _ _ _ _  10.6 


Total _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ 39.0 


The  total  cost  of  borings,  which  includes  plant,  repairs,  labor,  and 
all  other  expenses  connected  therewith,  except  surveys  for  location  of 
holes,  was  $6,582.65,  or  $168.78  per  mile.  Four  hundred  and  four 
borings  were  put  down  on  the  two  lines,  with  a  total  of  9,624  linear 
feet,  making  a  cost  of  $0,684  per  linear  foot.  The  plant  for  both  bor¬ 
ings  and  surveys  was  considered  sunk  when  the  work  was  completed, 
and  its  entire  cost  proportioned  against  the  routes  on  which  it  was 
used.  The  salary  of  the  assistant  engineer  was  charged  to  surveys, 
and  no  part  of  if  to  borings,  the  object  being  to  have  the  borings 
represent  actual  cost  for  such  work,  leaving  out  the  cost  of  general 
supervision  and  the  survey  for  locating  them. 

The  cost  of  surveys,  which  includes  instruments,  tools,  labor,  and 
all  other  expenses  connected  with  the  field  survey,  mapping,  and  final 
plans  and  estimates,  was  $17,049.30,  or  $437.16  per  mile,  making  a 
total  cost  of  the  borings,  surveys,  and  estimates  $605.94  per  mile. 
This  cost  includes  making  the  final  maps  as  published,  but  does  not 
include  plotting  that  part  of  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  route  done  in  the 
Detroit  office. 

It  should  be  stated  that  this  work  was  begun  with  a  party  energetic 
though  inexperienced  in  this  class  of  work,  and  that  most  of  the  field 
work  was  done  during  the  winter  when  the  weather  and  the  short 
days  were  against  rapid  progress. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


343 


LASALLE-LEWISTON  ROUTE. 

LOCATION  AND  CHARACTER  OF  MATERIAL  TO  BE  EXCAVATED. 

After  the  contour  maps  were  completed  the  location  of  the  canal 
was  laid  down  upon  them  by  the  Board,  it  being  the  same  for  the  21 
and  30  foot  channels.  For  the  estimate  for  regulated  lake  surface  it 
was  assumed  that  the  works  for  regulating  the  level  of  Lake  Erie 
would  be  built  at  the  foot  of  the  lake,  as  shown  on  plates  84  and  14, 
and  discussed  in  the  special  report  of  the  Board  on  the  Regulation  of 
the  Level  of  Lake  Erie,  Appendix  No.  0. 

The  channel  600  feet  wide  originates  at  deep  water  in  the  lake  and 
passes  to  the  right  of  the  regulating  works  through  the  Erie  Basin  to 
the  head  of  Black  Rock  Harbor,  where  it  narrows  up  to  the  regular 
canal  prism  and  continues  to  the  foot  of  Squaw  Island,  where  it 
widens  to  (300  feet.  At  the  head  of  the  island  lock  No.  1,  with  a  lift 
at  low  water  of  8  feet,  is  located.  From  the  foot  of  the  island  the 
600-foot  channel  continues  down  the  Niagara  River,  passing  to  the 
right  of  Strawberry  Island  and  Grand  Island  to  Tonawanda  (at  which 
point  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  route  leaves  the  Niagara  River),  and 
thence  to  the  head  of  Cayuga  Island,  where  the  channel  contracts  to 
the  regular  canal  prism  on  leaving  the  river,  and  continues  in  a  north¬ 
westerly  direction  through  the  village  of  Lasalle  and  to  above  the 
escarpment  at  Lewiston.  It  then  descends,  by  a  double  flight  of  six 
locks  and  a  double  flight,  of  two  locks,  to  the  Niagara  River. 

There  is  a  level  1,730  feet  long  between  the  two  flights  of  locks. 
The  total  lift  of  the  two  flights  at  Lewiston  at  low  water  is  318.8  feet. 
From  Lewiston  to  Lake  Ontario  the  river  is  from  40  to  60  feet  deep, 
and  does  not  require  any  improvement  for  a  channel  of  either  21  or  30 
feet  depth.  In  the  lake,  off  the  mouth  of  the  river,  there  is  a  shoal 
over  which  vessels  drawing  21  feet  can  pass,  but  to  make  a  channel 
30  feet  deep  and  1,000  feet  wide  would  require  the  excavation  of  about 
654,000  cubic  yards  of  sand  and  gravel. 

MATERIAL. 

The  material  to  be  excavated  on  this  route  is  earth,  sand,  gravel, 
clay,  liardpan,  limestone,  and  shale,  but  the  classification  for  the  pur¬ 
poses  of  making  estimates  will  consist  of  solid  rock,  which  includes 
both  the  limestone  and  shale;  liardpan  and  earth,  which  includes 
silt,  loam,  clay,  sand,  gravel,  and  all  other  material  which  can  be 
easily  excavated  with  steam  shovels. 

Extending  from  shore  to  shore  and  from  lock  No.  1  to  deep  water 
in  Lake  Erie  there  is  a  ridge  of  hard  limestone,  known  as  corniferous 
limestone,  almost  entirely  bare  except  in  Black  Rock  I  larbor,  where 
it  is  covered  with  sand,  gravel,  and  clay.  The  rock  disappears  below 
grade  just  below  lock  No.  1  and  shows  up  again  opposite  Strawberry 


344 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Island,  for  a  distance  of  about  1  mile,  and  again  opposite  Frog  Island, 
for  a  distance  of  500  feet.  At  this  point  it  disappears  below  grade 
again,  and  then  shows  up  opposite  Tonawanda  Island.  From  Tona- 
wanda  to  the  Niagara  River  at  Lewiston  the  rock  is  to  be  found  at  or 
above  the  grade  of  the  channel.  The  corniferous  limestone  runs  out 
soon  after  leaving  Lake  Erie.  From  this  point  the  rock  outcrop  is 
composed  of  Salina  shales  to  the  vicinity  of  Lasalle,  and  the  Niagara 
limestone  is  found  from  there  to  the  escarpment. 

To  determine  the  character  of  the  rock,  live  diamond-drill  borings 
were  put  down  at  various  points  north  of  Lasalle.  Boring  No.  1  was 
about  one-half  mile  north  of  Lasalle  and  400  feet  to  the  right  of  sta¬ 
tion  910.  Light-gray  Niagara  limestone  was  struck  at  elevation  550 
feet  above  sea  level  and  the  boring  penetrated  it  20  feet  to  elevation 
524.  It  is  a  hard  rock  in  thin  broken  strata,  but  near  the  bottom  a 
stratum  28  inches  thick  was  struck.  The  grade  of  the  channel  from 
Lasalle  to  lock  No.  2  is  533.5  feet. 

Boring  No.  2  is  located  near  Gill  Creek  and  about  740  feet  to  the 
right  of  station  1090.  Rock  was  struck  at  elevation  579  and  pen¬ 
etrated  56  feet  to  elevation  523.  It  was  limestone  in  thin  broken 
layers  and  very  dark  in  color  for  34  feet,  but  the  other  22  feet  was 
lighter  in  color  and  quite  solid. 

Boring  No.  3  is  just  above  the  escarpment  and  700  feet  to  the  right 
of  station  1220  of  the  channel.  It  is  also  east  of  lock  No.  2,  and  just 
south  of  Lewiston.  The  stratification  was: 

595  to  557.  Hard  light  gray  Niagara  limestone,  quite  solid  and  grad¬ 
ually  merging  into  shale  at  the  bottom. 

557  to  491.  Niagara  shale,  firm  but  easily  broken  into  short  pieces. 
The  last  20  feet  contains  many  fossil  shells.  At  the  bottom  it  merges 
gradually  into  Clinton  limestone. 

491  to  460.  Hard  Clinton  limestone  of  blue-gray  color. 

460  to  417.  Sandstone  intermixed  with  thin  layers  of  red  shale.  It 
varies  in  color  from  gray,  mottled,  and  red,  and  is  known  as  Medina 
sandstone. 

Boring  No.  4  is  located  on  the  side  of  the  escarpment,  and  is  intended 
as  a  continuation  of  boring  No.  3.  It  is  about  1,200  feet  to  the  right 
of  station  1240,  and  opposite  lock  No.  5.  The  stratification  was: 

389  to  367.  Very  hard  light  gray  sandstone,  known  as  quartzose  sand¬ 
stone. 

367  to  330.  Firm,  red  shale  mixed  with  bands  of  green  shale.  The  line 
of  demarcation  between  the  sandstone  and  red  shale  is  well  defined. 
Boring  No.  5  is  north  of  Lewiston,  and  about  2,800  feet  to  the  right  of 
station  1300,  where  the  channel  enters  the  Niagara  River.  The  strati¬ 
fication  is: 

335  t  o  239.  Soft,  red  shale,  mixed  with  bands  of  green  shale  broken  up. 

Below  elevation  264  there  are  occasional  bands  of  hard  shale. 

239  to  209.  Firm,  red  shale  in  thin  horizontal  layers. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


845 


All  the  rock  penetrated  by  the  above  five  borings  is  in  flat  layers, 
with  a  dip  to  the  south  of  about  36  feet  to  the  mile.  Practically  all 
the  rock  to  be  excavated  between  Tona wanda  and  lock  No.  2  at  Lewiston 
is  limestone,  but  the  excavation  for  the  two  flights  of  locks  will  include 
all  the  different  rocks  found  in  borings  Nos.  3, 4,  and  5.  The  general 
character  of  these  rocks  is  pretty  well  known  and  need  not  be  further 
described  or  considered  except  to  determine  the  form  of  the  side  slopes 
in  the  deep  cut  at  the  escarpment,  and  to  decide  as  to  their  suitable¬ 
ness  for  foundations. 

As  to  the  latter  point,  it  may  be  said  that  all  of  the  rocks  will  afford 
good  foundations  for  locks  at  the  elevation  required.  The  limestones 
and  sandstones  are  solid  and  firm  and  show  little  or  no  signs  of  dis¬ 
integration  when  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  elements  for  centuries, 
but  all  of  the  shales  when  so  exposed  disintegrate  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent.  According  to  geologists  the  gorge  of  the  Niagara  River  at 
Lewiston  has  been  in  existence  from  sixty  to  one  hundred  centuries 
and  it  has  not  widened  to  any  great  extent  during  that  time,  although 
the  exposed  faces  of  the  shales  show  marked  signs  of  disintegration. 
Nearly  vertical  faces  of  Niagara  shale  are  exposed  at  “The  Gulf,” 
west  of  Lockport  and  near  diamond  drill  borings  No.  3,  which  show 
decided  indications  of  disintegration  under  t  he  action  of  the  elements, 
but  it  has  stood  for  centuries  without  receding  more  than  a  few  feet. 
The  Erie  Canal  at  Lockport  is  cut  through  a  ridge  of  Niagara  shale, 
and  the  northwest  bank  of  this  cut  stands  nearly  vertical  and  shows 
but  little  signs  of  disintegration,  though  it  has  been  exposed  to  the 
elements  over  fifty  years.  During  the  winters  of  1896-97  and  1897-98 
the  Erie  Canal  was  deepened  above  Lockport,  much  of  the  excavated 
material  being  Niagara  shale,  which,  after  being  broken  up  and 
exposed  to  the  action  of  the  weather  in  the  spoil  banks,  disintegrated 
very  rapidly.  This  same  shale  was  solid  and  firm  where  it  formed 
the  walls  of  the  canal  prism  below  the  ordinary  water  level.  The 
shale  excavated  from  the  wheel  pits  at  Niagara  Falls  disintegrated 
very  rapidly  when  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  weather. 

The  conclusion  reached,  after  examining  the  shales  found  above  the 
escarpment  on  both  routes,  is  that  they  are  perfectly  stable  when 
under  water  and  disintegrate  slowly  when  left  in  the  natural  bed,  with 
faces  at  right  angles  to  it,  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  elements,  but 
when  broken  up  and  placed  in  spoil  banks  they  rapidly  deteriorate. 

The  shale  found  below  the  escarpment  at  Lewiston  is  of  a  red  color 
and  soft  near  the  top,  but  becomes  much  harder  near  the  bottom  of 
the  proposed  excavation.  It  crumbles  rapidly  when  broken  up  and 
exposed  to  the  elements  and  finally  becomes  a  red  clay.  It  does  not 
disintegrate  under  water  and  affords  good  foundations. 

Taking  up  the  material  overlying  the  bed  rock  and  within  the  limits 
of  the  excavation  for  a  channel  of  30  feet  depth,  it  is  found  to  be  silt, 
sand,  gravel,  bowlders,  and  clay,  and  may  be  classified  under  the  one 


I)KEP  WATERWAYS. 


346 

general  head  of  drift.  At  Squaw  Island  it  is  generally  sand  and  gravel, 
with  a  few  feet  of  silt  on  top,  and  near  the  head  of  the  island  is  found 
to  be  gravel  and  bowlders  cemented  together,  forming  a  hard  mass. 

From  Squaw  Island  to  the  head  of  Cayuga  Island,  where  the  channel 
leaves  t  he  river,  sand  and  gravel  are  found,  which  can  easily  be  dredged. 
From  this  point  to  the  escarpment  a  firm  yellow  clay  is  found  on  top, 
a  soft,  reddish  clay  almost  entirely  free  from  grit  and  varying  in 
thickness  from  2  to  10  feet  is  found  under  this  from  the  river  to  about  1 
mile  north  of  Lasalle.  Under  this  soft  clay  and  extending  north 
to  Lewiston  is  found  a  mixture  of  red  clay  and  gravel,  which  in  some 
places  is  a  perfect  hardpan  and  in  other  places  it  is  not  much  harder 
than  a  good  firm  clay.  Below  the  escarpment  the  drift  is  sand,  gravel, 
clay,  and  bowlders — the  bowlders  being  generally  limestone,  angular 
in  shape,  and  are  probably  fragments  broken  off  from  the  cliff  above. 
As  a  rule  a  layer  of  sand  or  gravel  from  6  to  12  inches  thick  is  found 
immediately  above  the  rock  and  below  the  hardpan  or  clay  from  Lasalle 
to  Lewiston. 

GRADES. 

In  connection  with  the  discharge  measurements  of  the  Niagara  River 
at  Buffalo,  which  were  taken  from  October,  1897,  to  December,  1897, 
by  E.  E.  Haskell,  United  States  assistant  engineer,  several  gauges 
where  established  from  Lake  Erie  to  the  foot  of  Squaw  Island  and 
read  to  measure  the  slope  of  the  river  at  the  several  points.  To  deter¬ 
mine  the  slopes  farther  down  the  river,  I  established  gauges  at  Ger¬ 
mania  Park  dock  opposite  Strawberry  Island,  Rattlesnake  Island,  the 
bridge  across  the  river  to  Tonawanda  Island,  near  the  head  of  Cayuga 
Island,  and  Schlosser’s  dock,  and  had  them  read  several  times  daily 
from  October  23  to  December  16.  At  times  of  high  or  low  water, 
caused  by  strong  winds  on  Lake  Erie,  each  one  of  these  gauges  was 
read  every  ten  minutes  during  the  day.  In  this  way  the  low  water 
slope  of  the  river  under  present  conditions  was  determined  from  point 
to  point.  This  slope  is  shown  for  a  low  stage  on  plate  90. 

For  an  elevation  of  the  lake  571.3,  the  corresponding  elevation  of 
the  surface  of  the  water  in  the  river  at  the  various  points  given  would 
be  as  follows: 

Foot  of  Squaw  Island . _ . . . .  .  566.4 

Germania  Park .  .  . 566 

Rattlesnake  Island . . . . .  565.5 

Head  of  Tonawanda  Island . . . . .  565. 13 

Head  of  Cayuga  Island. . . . . . . . . . . .  563 .  63 

Schlossers  Dock . . . . . . . .  563. 08 

If  the  lake  be  taken  as  570.5,  then  the  head  of  Tonawanda  Island 
would  be  564.6  and  the  head  of  Cayuga  Island  563.17. 

For  the  purposes  of  making  the  estimates,  the  elevation  at  Tona¬ 
wanda  was  taken  as  565  and  at  Cayuga  Island  as  563.5,  which,  under 
present  conditions,  corresponds  with  elevation  571  of  Lake  Erie.  But 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


347 


it  is  certain  that  the  slope,  especially  from  Tonawanda  to  Lasalle,  will 
be  reduced  when  the  channel  600  feet  wide  and  30  feet  deep  is  con¬ 
structed.  How  much  this  reduction  will  be  cannot  be  predetermined 
on  present  data,  but  the  water  level  at  Cayuga  Island  can  be  regu¬ 
lated  within  the  limits  required  by  depositing  the  necessary  amount 
of  the  excavated  rock  in  the  river  below  the  head  of  the  island, 
thereby  reducing  the  cross  section  of  the  river  to  the  required  area 
and  shape.  The  elevations  of  the  water  surface  from  deep  water  in 
the  lake  to  the  head  of  lock  No.  1,  on  which  estimates  are  based,  are 
for  the  regulated  level  574.5  and  for  standard  low  water  571.4.  The 
lock  will  have  a  lift  at  low  water,  after  regulating  works  are  built,  of 
8  feet,  making  the  grade  immediately  below  566.5,  which  corresponds 
to  elevation  571  of  the  unregulated  lake. 

The  slope  is  considered  as  uniform  from  this  point  to  Tonawanda 
and  to  Cayuga  Island.  From  Cayuga  Island  to  lock  No.  2  the  water 
surface  is  563.5  and  level  throughout;  from  Tonawanda  to  lock  No.  2 
on  the  Tonawanda-Olcott  route  the  water  surface  is  565  and  level 
throughout.  The  levels  below  locks  No.  2  on  each  route  depend  on 
the  lift  of  the  locks,  which  will  be  further  considered  under  the  head 
of  locks.  For  the  21-foot  channel  and  30-foot  channel  the  elevation 
of  the  bottom  of  the  channel  is  21  feet  and  30  feet,  respectively,  below 
the  low-water  surface,  following  the  slope  in  the  river  and  being  level 
through  the  canal  sections. 

Retaining  walls  and  slope  walls  are  provided  in  accordance  with 
the  standard  plans  and  designs,  except  for  the  retaining  wall  between 
the  canal  and  river  from  the  regulating  works  to  lock  No.  1,  where  it 
is  made  of  concrete  masonry,  with  a  top  width  of  12  feet  and  the  base 
not  less  than  two-thirds  the  height. 

The  locks  are  of  the  standard  design  adopted  by  the  Board,  with 
such  variations  as  are  necessary  to  lit  local  conditions  at  each  place. 

Their  size  for  the  30-foot  channel  is  740  feet  by  80  feet  for  single 
locks,  but  for  double  locks  one  is  60  feet  wide  and  the  other  80  feet 
wide,  both  being  740  feet  long.  For  the  21-foot  channel  all  locks  are 
600  feet  by  60  feet.  The  filling  and  emptying  culverts  are  located  in 
the  lock  walls.  Miter  gates  are  used  in  all  cases.  The  details  of  the 
lock  construction  are  given  in  Appendix  No.  1. 

Lock  No.  1,  at  Buffalo,  is  a  double  lock  of  8  feet  lift  and  founded  on 
solid  rock.  Its  various  parts  conform  to  the  standard  design,  except 
that  the  wall  on  the  river  side  is  made  thicker  than  the  one  on  the 
land  side  on  account  of  having  water  on  both  sides  of  the  wall. 
Water  power  for  driving  the  operating  machinery  can  be  developed 
above  the  lock. 

Above  lock  No.  2,  at  Lewiston,  the  elevation  of  low  water  is  563.5, 
as  heretofore  explained.  Below  lock  No.  9  the  standard  low  water 
of  the  Niagara  River  is  244.7,  making  a  total  fall  of  318.8  feet  to  be 
overcome  by  locks. 


348 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


From  a  casual  inspection  of  the  profile  at  this  point  it  is  evident 
that  single  locks  with  a  basin  between  would  involve  an  unnecessary 
amount  of  excavation.  It  is  also  evident  that  a  single  flight  of  locks 
would  seriously  delay  the  traffic  when  ships  were  going  in  opposite 
directions.  To  provide  the  greatest  capacity  at  the  minimum  cost  a 
double  flight  of  locks  should  be  constructed. 

The  arrangement  finally  decided  upon  is  shown  on  plate  15,  and  the 
design  is  shown  on  plate  69. 

For  the  30-foot  channel  estimates  are  made  on  a  flight  of  6  double 
locks  of  40  feet  lift  each  and  a  flight  of  2  double  locks  with  a  lift  of 
39.4  feet  each;  also  for  a  flight  of  8  double  locks  of  29  feet  each  and 
a  flight  of  3  double  locks  with  lifts  of  28.93  feet  each.  These  esti¬ 
mates  show  that  the  locks  of  40  feet  lift  can  be  built  $4,600,000  cheaper 
than  those  of  30  feet  lift.  In  both  cases  there  is  a  level,  with  connect¬ 
ing  side  basin,  to  reduce  the  fluctuations  of  the  water  surface  when 
putting  in  or  taking  out  a  lockful  of  water  between  the  two  flights  of 
locks. 

The  channel  throughout  the  length  of  this  level  and  also  for  2,500 
feet  above  the  head  of  lock  No.  2  is  excavated  2  feet  below  grade,  so 
as  to  insure  a  full  depth  of  channel  when  the  locks  are  being  filled. 

For  the  21-foot  channel  estimates  were  made  only  for  locks  of  40 
feet  lift,  as  it  is  quite  evident  that  those  of  30  feet  lift  would  cost  more 
and  would  not  be  so  efficient. 

Water  power  for  driving  the  operating  machinery  and  pumping  out 
the  locks  may  be  developed  cheaply  by  making  an  open  cut  from  the 
channel  at  a  point  above  lock  No.  2  to  the  top  of  the  bluff  near  the 
Suspension  Bridge,  and  then  carrying  the  water  down  the  side  of 
the  bluff  to  the  wheel  pit  situated  between  the  foot  of  the  bluff  and  the 
Niagara  River. 

The  tail  race  can  be  made  by  tunneling  from  the  bottom  of  the 
wheel  pit  to  the  river.  This  arrangement  would  give  a  head  of  300 
feet.  It  can  also  be  developed  by  carrying  the  water  in  pipes  along 
the  west  wall  of  the  locks  from  the  head  of  lock  No.  2  to  opposite  lock 
No.  7,  where  a  wheel  pit  could  be  made  and  the  tail  water  pass  out 
through  the  tunnel  to  the  river.  By  this  arrangement  a  head  of  270 
feet  can  be  obtained.  The  power  may  then  be  distributed  by  elec¬ 
tricity  or  by  compressed  air  to  the  points  required  for  the  two  flights 
of  locks. 

The  power  will  be  needed  for  lighting,  operating  the  gates  and 
valves,  and  pumping  out  lock  No.  9.  It  is  evident  that  locks  Nos.  2, 
3,  4,  5,  and  6  can  each  be  drained  into  the  next  lower  lock,  and  a 
tunnel  from  the  bottom  of  lock  No.  7  to  the  river  will  drain  this  lock 
and  also  provide  the  tailrace  for  the  water  used  in  developing  the 
power.  To  provide  against  unequal  leakage  in  the  several  locks  of  the 
flight  a  pipe  34  feet  in  diameter  is  carried  in  the  middle  wall  from  the 
head  to  the  foot  of  the  flight.  Valves  are  provided  to  supply  water  to 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


349 


each  lock  of  the  flight.  The  level  basin  between  the  two  flights  is 
provided  with  a  spillway  to  carry  off  surplus  water  which  is  not  needed 
in  locking  through  the  second  flight.  It  is  evident  that  lock  No.  8  can 
be  drained  into  lock  No.  0,  but  on  account  of  the  river  being  higher 
than  the  bottom  of  the  lock,  it  will  be  necessary  to  provide  a  pumping 
plant  to  empty  lock  No.  0. 

The  Niagara  River  from  Lewiston  to  its  mouth  affords  a  magnificent 
harbor  7  miles  long  and  from  40  to  60  feet  deep,  which  already  exists 
and  will  cost  nothing  to  maintain. 

STREAMS  CROSSED. 

The  channel  crosses  Cayuga  Creek,  Gill  Creek,  and  Fish  Creek, 
each  of  which  can  be  taken  into  the  canal. 

There  is  very  little  or  no  flow  in  Cayuga  Creek  at  low  stages.  Its 
depth  is  from  6  to  8  feet  and  is  due  to  the  backwater  from  Niagara 
River.  The  present  water  surface  is  therefore  about  the  same  as  the 
proposed  water  surface  in  the  canal.  Starting  at  a  point  700  feet  to 
the  right  of  station  885,  the  prism  of  the  creek  can  be  enlarged  and  made 
to  enter  the  canal  at  station  885  with  a  width  of  300  feet  and  10  feet 
deep,  which  would  give  a  low-water  cross  section  of  3,000  square  feet 
and  bring  the  flood  waters  into  the  channel  at  a  velocity  of  about  one- 
half  foot  per  second.  This  would  not  erode  the  banks  nor  interfere 
with  navigation.  It  is  also  proposed  to  put  a  sill  across  the  creek 
3  feet  above  its  bed,  so  that  any  sand  and  silt  washed  down  by  the 
stream  would  be  deposited  before  entering  the  canal. 

Gill  Creek  at  station  1092  is  a  small  stream,  with  no  flow  except  at 
times  of  rains  or  melting  snows.  Its  bed  is  composed  of  earth  and  is 
about  24  feet  above  the  water  surface  of  the  canal,  but  solid  rock  is 
found  about  5  feet  above  this  water  surface.  It  is  proposed  to  exca¬ 
vate  the  earth  100  feet  wide  back  about  200  feet  and  then  build  a  dam 
or  retaining  wall  up  to  the  bed  of  the  stream.  The  waters  will  pour 
over  this  wall  onto  the  rock  below  and  then  into  the  channel. 

Fish  Creek  is  crossed  at  station  1214.  It  has  no  flow  except  at  times 
of  rain  or  melting  snow,  and  the  flood  discharge  is  small.  It  is  pro¬ 
posed  to  divert  it  so  that  it  will  enter  the  canal  opposite  station  1210. 
This  diversion  will  be  in  solid  rock,  with  a  channel  100  feet  wide  and 
5  feet  below  the  water  surface  in  the  canal  for  a  distance  of  50  feet 
back  from  the  channel  line.  Back  of  this  point  the  grade  of  the 
diversion  will  be  such  as  to  carry  the  water  from  the  present  bed  of 
the  creek. 

Bridges  and  road  changes  required  are  as  follows: 

At  station  127  the  channel  crosses  the  Grand  Trunk  Railroad, 
which  will  require  a  single-track  swing  bridge. 

At  Lasalle,  from  station  860  to  station  875,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
build  a  combined  swing  bridge  to  accommodate  the  highway  travel, 
aud  a  double  track  for  the  Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls  Electric 


350 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Railway  and  0.5  mile  of  new  road;  a  double-track  swing  bridge  for 
the  New  York  Central  Railroad  and  1.8  miles  of  new  roadbed,  and  a 
single-track  bridge  for  the  Erie  Railroad  and  2.1  miles  of  road. 

It  is  also  necessary  to  build  1.5  miles  of  new  highway  to  the  right 
of  the  channel.  The  highway  travel  can  be  accommodated  by  a  ferry 
at  station  910. 

At  station  1040  a  double-track  swing  bridge  should  be  built  for  the 
New  York  Central  Railroad,  and  also  to  accommodate  the  highway 
travel.  It  will  also  be  necessary  to  move  the  junction  of  the  Niagara 
Construction  Company’s  Railroad  farther  west,  involving  the  build¬ 
ing  of  1.3  miles  of  mew  roadbed. 

.A  highway  bridge  must  be  provided  near  station  1188. 

At  Lewiston  a  crossing  must  be  provided  for  the  New  York  Central 
and  the  Rome,  Watertown  and  Ogdensburg  railroads,  which  may  be 
done  by  building  a  fixed  bridge  across  the  channel  at  Lock  No.  4,  near 
station  1235,  and  bringing  both  roads  to  it  on  top  of  the  bluff,  instead 
of  following  down  the  gorge  of  the  N iagara  River,  as  at  present.  After 
crossing  the  bridge  both  roads  would  drop  to  the  level  of  the  lower 
plane  by  an  eas3T  descent  along  the  side  of  the  escarpment  and  to  the 
present  junction  of  the  two  roads.  Lewiston  could  then  be  reached 
bjr  a  separate  line  to  the  east  of  Lock  No.  9. 

This  would  require  the  building  of  5.9  miles  of  new  double-track 
and  3  miles  of  single-track  road. 

A  highway  crossing  in  the  village  of  Lewiston  must  be  provided 
which  can  also  be  used  for  the  crossing  of  the  electric  railway.  This 
can  be  accomplished  by  building  a  bridge  over  Lock  No.  9  and  con¬ 
necting  the  railways  with  it  on  both  sides,  involving  the  building  of 
1.3  miles  of  single-track  electric  railway. 

A  tunnel  under  the  canal  must  also  be  provided  at  Buffalo  for 
carrying  the  water  supply  from  the  in-take  pipes  to  the  waterworks 
pumps. 

Estimates  are  based  on  the  following  widths  of  channel: 

From  deep  water  in  Lake  Erie  to  Black  Rock  Harbor,  600  feet  wide; 
from  Black  Rock  Harbor  to  the  foot  of  Squaw  Island,  canal  section, 
in  the  Niagara  River,  600  feet  wide;  from  Lasalle  to  the  river  at 
Lewiston,  standard  canal  section. 

Table  No.  1,  following,  shows  the  existing  railways  and  highways 
that  cross  the  proposed  center  line;  No.  2,  the  location,  length,  and 
cost  of  the  proposed  bridges  required  on  this  route;  No.  3,  the  location, 
cost,  etc.,  of  locks;  No.  4,  the  detailed  estimates  for  30-foot  channel, 
and  No.  5  the  detailed  estimates  for  the  21-foot  channel. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


351 


Table  No.  1. — Existing  crossings — Lasalle- Lewiston  route. 


. 

Location. 

Present 

Place. 

Station. 

grade. 

R/0imn  ks. 

Railway. 

International  bridge . 

128 

590.0 

Single-track  railroad  between  bridge  over  Niag¬ 
ara  River  and  the  one  over  Black  Rock  Harbor. 

Lasalle . . . 

852  +50 

573.0 

Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls  Electric  R.  R.,  double 
track. 

Do . . . 

853  +50 

576. 0 

New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  R  R., 
double  track,  Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls 
branch. 

Do... . 

854+50 

576. 0 

New  York,  Lake  Erie  and  Western  R.  R., 
single  track,  Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls 
branch. 

1040 

604.0 

New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  R.  R., 
double  track,  Niagara  Falls  and  Lockport 
branch. 

Lewiston . 

1236 

548.0 

Rome,  Watertown  and  Ogdensburg  R.  R.,  single 
track. 

Do . 

1245 

370.0 

New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  R.  R., 
Niagara  Falls  and  Lewiston  branch,  single 
track. 

Do . . 

1258 

345. 0 

Do. 

Highways. 

Lasalle . 

852  +50 
860 

573.0 
574. 0 

River  road. 

864 

574. 0 

Not  much  used. 

909 

573.0 

Mile-line  road. 

991 

597.0 

Packard  road. 

1019, 1023, 1027 
1031, 1034, 1035 

\ 

f . 

Streets  laid  out,  but  in  no  way  improved. 

1048 

606.0 

Lockport  road. 

1052, 1057 
1061,1065 

} . - 

Streets  plotted,  but  not  improved. 

1095 

603.0 

Witmere  road. 

1188 

616. 0 

Reservation  road. 

1225 

593. 0 

River  road. 

Lewiston . 

1277 

346.0 

Center  street,  single-track  electric  railroad, 
Lewiston  to  Youngston. 

Do . 

1284 

360.0 

Second  street  or  River  road;  streets  are  also 
crossed  at  1258, 1264, 1271,  and  1290,  but  they  are 
only  slightly  improved. 

Table  No.  2. — Location,  cost,  etc.,  of  proposed  bridges — Lasalle- Lewiston  Route. 


Location. 


Intei-national 

bridge. 

Lasalle . 


Do 

Do 

Do 


Do  ... 
Do  ... 
Lewiston 


Do  . 
Lasalle  . 
Do  . 


Total. 


Sta¬ 

tion. 


128 

861 


868 

874 

1040 

1188 

1235 

1292 


.890 

1235 


Kind  of  bridge. 


Railway 


Highway  and 
electric  rail¬ 
way. 

Railway . 

. do . 

Highway  and 
railway. 

Highway . 

Railway . 

Highway  and 
electric  rail¬ 
way. 

Bridges  not  over  canal. 
Highway  ... 

Railway  .... 


Num¬ 
ber  of 
tracks. 


1 


Swing  or 
fixed. 


1 


Swing. 

_ do.. 


_ do .. 

_ do .. 

— do.. 

- do.. 

Fixed  . 
Swing. 


Fixed  . 
...do._ 


Thirty-foot 

channel. 

Num- _ 

her  of 

spans.  I  Total 


length. 


Esti¬ 

mated 

cost. 


1 

53<  ^ 

$146, 686 

5171 

1 

550 

155,230 

530 

1 

550 

225, 607 

530 

1 

5374 

128,230 

5174 

3 

711 

303, 628 

687 

1 

580 

68,546 

556 

1 

353 

101,572 

333 

1 

2404 

47,434 

197 

1 

100 

8, 504 

100 

1 

30 

7,095 

30 

1, 192,5112 

Twenty-one  foot 
channel. 


Total 

length. 


Esti¬ 

mated 

cost. 


$129, 650 
130,206 


204, 575 
153,398 
a  276, 033 

63,478 
92, 366 
44,098 


8,504 

7,095 


1,109,403 


a  Double-deck,  draw  span,  and  two  63-foot  girders. 

Feet  clear  opening. 


Note.— Highway  bridges .  22 

Single-track  railway  bridges . 14 

Double-track  railway  bridges  .  26 

Double-track  double-deck  bridges . 29 


352 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Table  No.  3. — Lasalle- Lewiston  route. 
LOCKS. 


Location. 

Length 
of  level 
above. 

No. 

Lift. 

Kind. 

Elevation  stand¬ 
ard,  low  water. 

Place. 

Station. 

Single  or 
double. 

Individual  or 
in  flight. 

Above 

lock. 

Below 

lock. 

Buffalo  . . . . 

Lewiston,  upper  flight 

Do  _  _ 

88+07 

1200+47 

Miles. 

21.3 

1 

o 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

Feet. 

8 

40 

40 

40 

40 

40 

40 

39.4 

39.4 

Double . 
—  do ... 
_ do _ 

Individual ... 

Flight . 

. do . 

574. 5 

563. 5 

523.5 

483.5 

443. 5 

403. 5 

363.5 

323.5 
284.1 

566. 5 

523.5 

483.5 

443.5 

403.5 

363.5 

323.5 
284.1 
244.7 

Do  . 

_ do _ 

. do . 

Do  . 

_ do . . . 

_ do . . 

Do  . 

_ do _ 

....  .do . . 

Do 

1257  +  47 
1284+47 
1291+87 

_ do _ 

_  .  do _ 

Lewiston,  lower  flight 
Do  . . 

0.4 

_ do ... 

_ do . . 

. do . 

. do . . . 

COST.d 


Location. 

30-foot 

channel. 

21-foot 

channel. 

Operating 

machin¬ 

ery. 

Buffalo . . . . . 

6  SL  720, 358 
12,296,609 
4.420,037 

i>$l,  135, 413 
8, 206, 614 
2,952. 169 

$100,000 
|  500,1)00 

Lewiston,  upper  flight _ _ _ _ _ _ ... 

Lewiston,  lower  flight _ _ _ _ 

Total _ _ _ _ _ _ 

18. 437. 004 
600, 000 

12.294.196 
600, 000 

600,000 

Operating  machinery _ _ _ _ 

Total . . . . . . . . . 

19,037,004 

12,894,196 

a  The  cost  is  that  of  the  structure  complete  except  the  excavation. 
b  For  regulated  lake  level. 


Table  No.  4. — Estimate  for  30-foot  channel. 


NIAGARA  RIVER  (FROM  STATION  —  TO  STATION  8291. 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

With  regulating  works. 

Earth . . . cubic  yards.. 

Rock,  dry . ..do  — 

Rock,  wet  (in  Lake  Erie) . .  . do _ 

Rock,  wet  (in  Niagara  River) . ...do _ 

Hardpan . . .. . do _ 

Regulating  works . . . . . . . 

13,909.221 
90. 014 
1, 687, 650 
9,128,800 
4,200 

$0. 15 
1.00 
3.00 
2. 00 
.30 

$1, 951, 383 
90, 014 
5, 062, 950 
18,257,600 
1,260 
796. 92)1 
1, 720,358 
100, 000 

Lock  No.  1 . . . 

Operating  machinery . 

Total.. . . . . 

27. 980, 488 

Without  regulating  works. 

Earth  . . cubic  yards.. 

Hardpan  . . do _ 

Rock,  dry.. . do _ 

Rock,  wet  (in  Lake  Erie) . do _ 

Rock,  wet  (in  Niagara  River) . ...do _ 

Lock  No.  1 . . . . . . 

13,045,421 

4,200 

90,014 

2,227,900 

9,424,300 

.  15 
.30 
1.00 
3.00 
2.00 

1,956,813 
1,260 
90,014 
6,683,700 
18, 848, 600 
1 , 726, 838 
100,000 

Operating  machinery . . . 

Total . . . . 

29,407,225 

Quantities  common  to  both  plans. 

Retaining  wall  ...  . cubic  yards.. 

Slope  wall . square  yards.. 

Back  fill . cubic  yards.. 

Timber  cribs,  pine . ..feet  B.  M.. 

Hemlock .  do  ... 

Stone  fill . cubic  yards.. 

Bridges . . . .  number 

224,148 
22, 957 
223, 702 
756, 860 
4, 012, 480 
48, 000 
436,330 
58,860 

1 

46 

1,000 

4.00 
1.10 
.25 
a  30. 00 
«23. 00 
a  50. 00 
.03 
.60 

896,592 
25,25)1 
55, 926 
22,706 
92.287 
2. 400 
13, 090 
35, 316 
146, 686 
184, 000 
30,000 

Right  of  way . . . acres.. 

Tunnel  waterworks . linear  feet.. 

Total . 

4,000.00 

30.00 

1,504,256 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


353 


Table  No.  4. — Estimate  for  30-foot  channel — Continued. 
SUMMARY  FOR  NIAGARA  RIVER. 


With  regulating  works: 

Excavation,  etc  . . . . . .  $27,980,488 

Retaining  wall,  etc . . . . . . .  1,5  4,256 


Total . - . . . -  29,484,744 


Without  regulating  works: 


Excavation,  etc . . .  29, 407. 225 

Retaining  walls,  etc . - .  1,504,256 

Total . . . . . . . .  30,911,481 


CANAL  SECTION  (STATION  829  TO  STATION  1313). 


Quantity. 


Excavation. 


Cost  per 
unit. 


Total. 


Lasalle  to  foot  of  the  first  flight  of  locks  (829  to  1262  +  21): 

Earth . . . cubic  yards. . 

Hardpan  . . . . do.. 

Rock .  . . . . do _ 

Foot  of  first  to  foot  of  second  flight  of  locks  (1262  +  21  to 
1296  +61 ): 

Earth . cubic  yards.. 

Rock  . . . . . do _ 

Foot  of  second  flight  of  locks  to  30-foot  depth,  Niagara  River 
(1296  +  61  to  1313): 

Earth . cubic  yards.. 

Rock,  dry . do _ 

Rock,  wet . . . do - 


6, 707, 150 
1,094,400 
20.091,400 


2,030,477 

1,997,466 


170,378 

112,496 

190,296 


$0. 20 

$1,341, +30 

.311 

328,320 

.  65 

13.059,410 

.20 

406, 095 

.  65 

1,298,353 

.20 

34, 076 

.65 

13. 122 

1.75 

333, 018 

Walls ,  locks,  etc. 

Retaining  wall. . 

Slope  wall . 

Back  fl  1 . . . . 

Timber  cribs: 

Pine . . . 

Hemlock  . . 

Oak . . 

Iron . 

Stone  filling.. . . 

Locks  2  to  9,  inclusive . . ... 

Operating  machinery . . . 

Bridges . 

Steam  ferries . . 

Railroad  changes . 

Entrances  of  streams . 

Right  of  way: 

Village  property. . 

Farm  property . 

Total . 


..cubic  yards., 
square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards. . 


105.881  4.00 
29,713  1.10 
827.794  .25 


423.524 
32, 684 
206.949 


.. .feet  B.  M_. 

. do 1, 

. . do  .. 

. pounds. . 

cubic  yards.. 


number.. 
_ do  — 


170,960 
1:58,080 
7.  440 
119,435 


a  30. 00 
a  23.00 
a  50. 00 
.03 


15, 900 


.60 


9 

1 


5, 129 
26, 176 
372 
3,583 
9,540 
16, 716, 646 
500, 000 
1,045.846 
20,000 
363, 424 
20, 255 


acres . 
.do. . . 


856 

2,055 

728, 800 
272,250 

37, 249, 002 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 


MOUTH  OF  NIAGARA  RIVER  (STATION  1655  TO  STATION  1703). 


Excavation. 

Earth . . . . cubic  yards . . 


$98, 111 


SUMMARY. 


With  regu¬ 
lating 
works. 

Without 

regulating 

works. 

Niagara  River . 

$29,484,744 
37,249,002 
98,  111 

66.831, 857 

$30,911,481 

37,249,002 

98,111 

68.258,594 

Can  al  section . . . . . . 

Mouth  of  river . . . . . 

Total . . . . . . 

H.  Doc.  149 


■23 


354 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Table  No.  5. — Estimate  for  21-foot  channel . 
NIAGARA  RIVER  (FROM  STATION-  38  TO  STATION  820). 


With  regulating  works. 


Quantity. 


Cost  per 
unit. 


Total. 


Earth  . 

Rock,  dry.. . 

Rock,  wet  (in  Lake  Erie) - 

Rock,  wet  (in  Niagara  River) 

Regulating  works . 

Lock  No.  1 _ _ _ _ 

Operating  machinery . 

Total _ _ 


Without  regulating  works. 


cubic  yards 

. do _ 

. .  ..do _ 

. do _ 


6, 809, 904 
13,219 
419,850 
2, 561, 800 


SO.  15 
1.00 
3.00 
2. 00 


$1,021,486 
13.219 
1,259,550 
5,123,600 
796, 923 
1, 135, 413 
100, 000 


9, 4.50, 191 


Earth . 

Rock,  dry._ . . . . 

Rock,  wet  (in  Lake  Erie) . 

Rock,  wet  (in  Niagara  River) 

Lock  No.  1- . . 

Operating  machinery . 

Total . 


Quantities  common  to  both  plans. 


cubic  yards 

. . do.... 

. do _ 

. do _ 


6, 846, 154 
13, 219 
718. 100 
2, 843, 950 


.15 

1.00 

3.00 

2.00 


1.026,923 
13, 219 
2,154,300 
5,687,900 
1,141,893 
100,000 


10, 124. 235 


Retaining  wall . 

Slope  wall . 

Back  fill . . 

Timber  cribs,  pine  .. 

Hemlock . . 

Oak . . . 

Iron.. . . . 

Stone  fill.. . . 

Bridge . . 

Right  of  way _ _ 

Tunnel  waterworks 

Total . 


..cubic  yards., 
square  yards 
..cubic  yards.. 

. feet  B.  M._ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. pounds.. 

..cubic  yards .. 

. number.. 

_ acres.. 

_ linear  feet.. 


224,148 

4.00 

23,887 

1.10 

213,830 

.25 

756, 860 

a  30. 00 

2, 693, 240 

a  23. 00 

48,000 

a  50. 00 

311,340 

.03 

41,010 

.60 

1 

46 

1,000 

30. 00 

896. 592 
26, 276 
53, 458 
22,706 
61, 945 
2. 400 
0,340 
24. 606 
129, 650 
184,000 
30, 000 


1,440, 973 


a  Per  1.000  feet. 


SUMMARY  FOR  NIAGARA  RIVER. 


With  regulating  works: 

Excavation,  etc  . . . .  $9, 450,191 

Retaining  walls,  etc . . .  1,440,973 


Total . . . . . . .  10,891,164 


Without  regulating  works: 

Excavation,  etc .  10. 124, 235 

Retaining  walls,  etc . . .  1, 440, 973 


Total . . .  11,565,208 


CANAL  SECTION  (STATION  829  TO  STATION  1310). 


Excavation. 


Lasalle  to  foot  of  the  first  flight  of  locks  (829  to  1255  +  01) : 

Earth . cubic  yards.. 

Hardpan . . . do _ 

Rock  . . . . .  do _ 

Foot  of  first  to  foot  of  second  flight  of  locks  (1255  +  01  to 
1296  +  61): 


Earth . cubic  yards.. 

Rock . do _ 

Foot  of  second  flight  of  locks  to  water  21  feet  deep,  in  lower 
river  (1296  +  61  to  1310): 

Earth  . .  .cubic  yards  . 

Rock,  dry  . . do _ 

Rock,  wet . do  ... 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

5, 670, 161 

$0.20 

$1,134,032 

824, 650 

.30 

247,395 

16,089.387 

.65 

10,  458, 102 

1,934,954 

.20 

386,991 

1,181,361 

.65 

767, 885 

103, 478 

.20 

20, 696 

107, 900 

.  65 

70, 135 

64,229 

1.75 

112,401 

DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


355 


Table  No.  5. — Estimate  for  21-foot  channel — Continued. 
CANAL  SECTION  (STATION  829  TO  STATION  1310)— Continued. 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Walls ,  locks ,  etc. 

Retaining  wall . - . . 

Slope  walls . . - . . . 

Back  fill . . . . 

Crib  walls: 

Pine . . . . . . 

Hemlock  .  _  .  . . 

Oak . . . . 

Iron . . . . . 

Stone  fill . . . . 

Locks  2  to  9.  inclusive  _  _  . 

. cubic  yards. . 

_ square  yards.. 

. cubic  yards.. 

. . do _ 

. do  ... 

. . cubic  yards.. 

40, 624 
45. 540 
372,275 

470, 710 
4,606, 915 
59, 724 
431,586 
63,306 

$4.00 

1.10 

.25 

a  30. 00 
u23. 00 
a 50. 00 
.03 
.60 

$162, 496 
50, 094 
93, 069 

14,121 
105,959 
2,988 
12, 948 
37. 984 
11,158,783 

Oneratiner  machinerv  _  _  _  ...  _ _ _  __ 

500, 000 
979, 753 

Bi-idees  _  _ 

_  .  .number 

9 

Steam  ferry  . . . . 

1 

20,000 

Railroad  changes. . _ . . .  . .. 

363, 424 
20,255 

Entrances  ot'  streams . . . 

Risrht  of  wav _  _  _  _  _ 

V illage  property . _ . . . . . . 

. acres. . 

856 

728,800 

Farm  property . 

. do  . . 

2,055 

272, 250 

Total  ...  _ 

27, 720, 559 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 


SUMMARY. 


With 

regulating 

works. 

Without 

regulating 

works. 

Niagara  River  . . .  . 

$10,891,164 
27, 720, 559 

$11,565,208 
27.  720,  .559 

Canal  section  .  . . . 

Mouth  of  river . . . . . . 

0 

0 

Total . . . . . . . . 

38,611,723 

39, 285. 767 

TONAWANDA-OLCOTT  ROUTE. 


LOCATION. 

As  before  stated,  the  location  of  this  route  is  identical  with  that  of 
the  Lasalle-Lewiston  route  from  Lake  Erie  to  station  541,  opposite 
Tonawanda.  At  this  point  it  swings  to  the  right,  passes  just  above 
the  head  of  Tonawanda  Island,  and  leaves  the  river  near  the  bridge, 
connecting  the  mainland  with  the  island,  and  continues  through  the 
city  of  North  Tonawanda  and  to  Olcott,  as  shown  on  plates  16  and 
17.  Another  location  was  considered,  leaving  the  river  near  the  foot 
of  the  island,  swinging  to  the  right,  and  joining  the  adopted  location 
in  the  vicinity  of  Sawyers  Creek,  but  this  was  abandoned  for  the  rea¬ 
son  that  it  gives  bad  alignment  and  leaves  the  river  at  nearly  right 
angles  to  the  general  direction  of  the  current.  The  latter  condition 
would  make  it  very  difficult,  if  not  impossible  under  some  conditions, 
to  manage  ships  when  passing  from  the  river  section  to  the  canal  sec¬ 
tion,  and  vice  versa.  The  location  adopted  gives  an  easy  curve  for 
leaving  the  river  and  a  good  alignment  thereafter.  The  cost  of  the 
two  locations  is  about  the  same.  A  different  location  was  also  con¬ 
sidered  from  Sawyers  Creek  to  below  the  escarpment  west  of  Lock- 
port.  This  would  leave  the  adopted  location  in  the  vicinity  of  Saw- 


356 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


yers  Creek,  swing  to  the  right  and  cross  the  Erie  Railroad  about  oppo¬ 
site  station  000,  and  continue  south  of  the  railroad  to  about  opposite 
station  1200,  where  it  would  swing  to  the  left  to  the  head  of  the  gulf 
and  thence  by  a  tangent  to  the  main  line  at  station  1375.  This  would 
require  two  extra  railroad  crossings,  but  the  most  serious  objection  is 
the  sharp  curve  necessary  to  reach  the  head  of  the  gulf.  The  align¬ 
ment  is  bad. 

A  preliminary  study  was  made  of  a  location  entering  the  gorge  of 
Eighteen  Mile  Creek  in  the  vicinity  of  the  village  of  Newfane,  and 
continuing  down  the  creek  to  Olcott,  but  the  difficulties  of  construct¬ 
ing  a  channel  on  this  location  were  such  as  to  make  it  more  expen¬ 
sive  than  a  line  entirely  independent  of  the  gorge.  Estimates  in 
detail  were  not,  therefore,  made  on  this  line. 

From  station  1245  to  station  1658  an  alternate  line  is  estimated, 
which  is  shown  on  the  maps  as  “B  line.”  The  difference  in  cost  of 
the  two  lines  from  station  1245  to  station  1358,  common  points  on 
both,  is  1398,000  for  the  30-foot  channel  and  $543,800  for  the  21-foot 
channel  in  favor  of  the  “A”  or  adopted  line.  The  alignment  of  the 
adopted  line  is  better  and  it  would  be  much  more  satisfactory  to 
navigate. 

The  material  to  be  excavated  is  similar  to  that  found  on  the  Lasalle- 
Lewiston  route. 

Limestone  rock  appears  above  the  grade  of  the  30-foot  channel 
between  stations  602  and  607,  and  then  dips  below  grade  and  reappears 
at  station  715  and  continues  above  grade  to  station  775,  where  it  dips 
below  grade  and  reappears  at  station  870,  and  then  continues  above 
the  grade  to  station  1345  at  the  second  escarpment.  From  the  foot  of 
lock  No.  5  to  Lake  Ontario  the  rock  is  the  so-called  red  shale.  It  is 
in  fiat  layers  from  1  to  3  inches  thick,  though  at  rare  intervals  layers 
of  4  to  6  inches  are  found.  For  a  depth  varying  in  different  locali¬ 
ties  from  10  to  30  feet  these  layers  are  separated  one  from  another  by 
a  thin  layer  of  reddish  mineral  dirt,  and  they  are  broken  into  small 
pieces,  which  gives  it  the  appearance  of  being  soft  shale,  but  in  fact 
each  individual  piece  is  quite  hard.  On  breaking  a  solid  piece  at  right 
angles  to  its  bed  it  is  seen  that  the  interior  portion  is  a  dark-gray  color 
and  the  outer  portions  are  of  a  reddish  color.  In  these  respects  it 
differs  from  the  red  shale  found  at  Lewiston. 

DIAMOND-DRILL  BORINGS. 

To  determine  the  character  of  the  rock  nine  diamond-drill  borings 
were  put  down  on  this  line.  The  location  of  each  is  shown  on  plates 
16  and  17,  and  they  are  described  in  the  report  of  R.  C.  Smith, 
Appendix  No.  19. 

Boring  No.  1  is  located  at  Sawyers  Creek,  250  feet  to  the  left  of 
station  766.  Rock  was  struck  at  elevation  545  and  penetrated  16 
feet  lo  elevation  529,  which  is  6  feet  below  the  grade  of  the  channel. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


357 


The  rock  its  a  very  hard  light-gray  limestone,  much  broken  up  and  in 
layers  one-quarter  inch  to  3d  inches  thick. 

Boring  No.  2  is  just  east  of  Pendleton  Center  and  900  feet  to  the 
right  of  station  1010.  Limestone  rock  was  struck  at  elevation  566 
and  was  penetrated  89  feet  to  elevation  477.  The  first  50  feet  was 
hard  Niagara  limestone,  in  thin  layers  near  the  top  and  thicker  layers 
towrard  the  bottom,  one  being  22  inches  thick.  The  next  39  feet  was 
a  very  hard  limestone  conglomerate  of  dark  color. 

Boring  No.  3  is  near  the  gulf  west  of  Lockport  and  1,400  feet  to  the 
right  of  station  1266.  The  stratification  is: 

588  to  582.  Soft  limestone,  full  of  shells. 

582  to  572.  Mixture  of  limestone  and  sandstone  in  hard,  thin  layers. 
572  to  502.  Firm  Niagara  shale. 

502  to  490.  Limestone. 

490  to  465.  Limestone  and  shale,  with  few  layers  of  green  shale  at  the 
bottom. 

465  to  425.  Medina  sandstone  mixed  with  red  and  green  shale. 

425  to  407.  Very  hard  Medina  sandstone  mixed  with  hard  red  shale. 
407  to  399.  Hard  Medina  sandstone. 

399  to  388.  Sand  shale  mixed  with  gray  sandstone,  shale  softer. 

By  comparing  this  with  borings  Nos.  3  and  4,  at  Lewiston,  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  stratification  is  nearly  the  same  in  both  cases  and 
that  the  different  materials  were  found  at  about  the  same  elevation. 

Borings  Nos.  4  and  5  were  put  down  through  Niagara  limestone  to 
determine,  in  connection  with  boring  No.  3,  the  elevation  and  dip  of 
the  shale,  but  no  attempt  was  made  to  penetrate  the  shale.  No.  4  is 
located  250  feet  to  the  right  of  station  1238.  The  elevation  of  shale 
is  558.  No.  5  is  750  feet  to  left  of  station  1277.  Elevation  of  shale, 
580.  These  give  a  dip  of  5.6  feet  per  1,000  feet,  and  if  the  same  rate 
of  inclination  continues  to  the  south,  the  shale  would  dip  below  the 
bottom  of  the  channel  near  station  1200. 

Boring  No.  6  is  located  600  feet  to  the  left  of  station  1316,  at  which 
station  the  grade  of  canal  is  504  feet  for  21-foot  channel.  Rock  is 
found  at  the  surface. 

523  to  501.  Clinton  limestone.  The  last  15  feet  contains  layers  of 
green  shale. 

501  to  486.  Hard  green,  red,  and  gray  sandstones,  mixed  with  red  shale 
and  Clinton  shale. 

486  to  432.  Medina  sandstone,  gray  and  red;  the  last  20  feet  pink  in 
color;  all  very  hard. 

432  to  400.  Gray  sandstone  and  shale  mixed. 

400  to  393.  Firm  red  and  green  shales. 

393  to  385.  Soft  red  shale. 

385  to  332.  Firm  red  shale. 

Boring  No.  7  is  located  1,250  feet  to  the  left  of  station  1400.  The 
grade  of  21-foot  channel  is  344  at  this  station.  Soft  red  shale  was 


358  DEEP  WATERWAYS. 

struck  at  elevation  353  and  continued  to  310;  from  this  elevation  to 
207  firm  red  shale  was  found. 

Boring  No.  8  is  located  600  feet  to  the  left  of  station  1581.  The 
elevation  of  grade  of  21 -foot  channel  is  344.  Soft  red  shale  was 
struck  at  elevation  345,  changing  to  firm  red  shale  at  328  and  con¬ 
tinuing  to  elevation  176. 

Boring  No.  9  is  located  at  the  shore  line  of  Lake  Ontario  near  Olcott, 
and  150  feet  to  the  left  of  station  1893.  The  grade  at  station  1893 
is  223.5  for  21-foot  channel.  The  stratification  is  as  follows: 

251.  to  242.  Sand  and  gravel. 

242  to  223.  Soft  red  shale. 

223  to  206.  Firm  red  shale. 

206  to  182.  Firm  red  shale,  mixed  with  soft  Medina  sandstone. 

It  will  be  seen  from  these  borings  that  all  of  the  rock  to  be  excavated 
above  the  second  escarpment  is  either  limestone  or  firm  shale  and 
below  this  point  it  is  either  soft  or  firm  red  shale.  The  general  char¬ 
acteristics  of  these  several  rocks,  except  the  red  shale,  are  the  same 
as  those  for  the  Lasalle-Lewiston  route  and  need  not  be  further  con¬ 
sidered  here  excexA  to  state  that  the  shales  south  of  station  1350  will 
cost  about  as  much  to  excavate  as  the  limestone,  and  from  this  station 
to  Lake  Ontario  the  top  15  feet  will  be  much  easier  to  excavate. 

An  examination  of  the  shale  found  along  the  Erie  Canal  near  Lock- 
port  shows  it  to  be  a  well-defined  shale,  much  softer  and  more  broken 
than  the  limestone,  but  to  the  southwest  it  gradually  becomes  harder 
and  in  general  appearance  more  like  the  limestone.  At  the  point 
where  it  dips  below  the  grade  of  the  Erie  Canal  it  is  difficult  to  dis¬ 
tinguish  between  the  two  from  external  appearances. 

The  material  overlying  the  bed  rock  is  sand  and  gravel  from  station 
541,  in  the  Niagara  River,  to  station  600.  From  station  600  to  station 
1100,  near  Ilodgeville,  the  top  6  to  15  feet  is  a  firm  yellow  clay  mixed 
with  varying  quantities  of  sand.  Below  this  is  found  a  soft  red  clay 
varying  in  thickness  from  5  to  20  feet.  From  station  600  to  station  940 
it  is  generally  from  15  to  20  feet,  and  from  station  940  to  station  1100  it 
is  from  5  to  10  feet  thick.  It  is  a  pure  clay,  almost  entirely  free  from 
grit.  Under  this  soft  clay  and  overlying  the  bed  rock  is  a  mixture  of 
red  clay  and  gravel  varying  in  hardness  from  a  good  hard  clay  to 
hard-pan  or  bowlder  clay.  From  station  1100  to  the  gorge  of  Eight¬ 
een-Mile  Creek  it  is  a  drift  composed  of  clay  mixed  with  sand  and 
gravel,  and  may  be  classed  as  a  firm  clay.  In  the  gorge  of  Eighteen- 
Mile  Creek  to  Olcott  it  is  a  very  soft  silt  and  sand. 

GRADES  AND  LOCKS. 

As  already  explained,  the  water  surface  at  the  point  where  the 
channel  leaves  the  Niagara  River  is  taken  at  elevation  565  and  con¬ 
tinues  level  to  lock  No.  2.  The  slope  required  to  carry  the  necessary 
water  for  lockage  and  power  development  is  very  slight.  Lock  No.  2 
has  a  lift  of  40  feet,  so  that  the  elevation  of  the  water  surface  below 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


359 


it  is  525  and  continues  level  to  the  head  of  the  flight  of  three  double 
locks,  Nos.  3,  4,  and  5,  which  have  a  lift  of  40  feet  each,  making  the 
elevation  of  the  water  surface  below  the  flight  405,  which  continues 
level  to  lock  No.  0,  with  a  lift  of  40  feet,  making  the  level  of  the  water 
surface  below  3G5  feet,  which  continues  level  to  lock  No.  7,  with  a  lift 
of  304  feet,  making  the  water  surface  below  334.5,  which  continues 
level  to  the  head  of  the  flight  of  three  double  locks,  Nos.  8,  9,  and  10, 
with  a  lift  of  30  feet  each,  making  the  water  surface  below  lock  No.  10 
244.5,  which  is  the  level  of  low  water  in  Lake  Ontario.  The  grade  of 
the  21  and  30  foot  channels  is  21  and  30  feet,  respectively,  below  the 
water  surface.  The  location  and  lift  of  locks  are  the  same  for  both 
channels. 

As  before  stated,  the  lock  chambers  for  the  30-foot  channel  are  740 
by  80  feet  for  single  locks,  but  for  double  locks  one  is  740  by  80  feet, 
and  the  other  740  by  60  feet. 

Regulation  of  water  surface  in  pools  between  locks  JVos.  2  and  S  and  5 
and  6. — Locks  Nos.  2  to  6,  inclusive,  all  have  the  same  lift.  Locks  Nos.  2 
and  6  are  single  locks  80  feet  wide,  while  Nos.  3,  4,  and  5  constitute  a 
double  flight.  The  flight  on  the  right  is  80  feet  wide,  while  that  on  the 
left  is  but  GO  feet  wide.  In  the  consideration  of  the  locks,  it  is  assumed 
that  vessels  will  ordinarily  use  the  right-hand  flight  of  locks;  that  is, 
down-bound  vessels  will  use  the  80-foot  locks  and  up-bound  vessels 
the  GO-foot  locks.  Vessels  passing  down  consecutively  will  leave  no 
change  in  the  water  levels  in  the  two  pools  between  the  locks  after 
they  have  passed  out.  Vessels  locking  consecutively  upward  will 
lower  the  level  of  the  lower  pool  and  raise  that  of  the  upper  pool. 
Vessels  alternating  will  raise  the  lower  pool  and  lower  the  upper  one. 
These  contingencies,  as  well  as  any  deficiency  in  the  long  level  between 
locks  Nos.  G  and  7,  have  been  provided  for  by  the  construction  of  open 
channels  around  lock  No.  2  and  also  the  flight,  and  by  making  use  of 
the  bed  of  Sherman  Creek,  at  lock  No.  G.  The  channel  at  lock  No.  2 
is  controlled  by  sluice  gates  so  that  the  required  amount  of  water  may 
be  supplied  the  basin  below.  The  channel  connecting  the  upper  and 
lower  pools  is  provided  with  a  small  weir  and  sluice  gate.  The  weir 
serves  to  pass  any  excess  of  water  in  the  upper  pool  and  the  sluice 
gate  to  supply  deficiencies  in  the  lower  pool.  The  lower  pool  is 
enlarged  on  the  left  by  the  construction  of  an  embankment  around 
the  low  ground,  no  excavation  being  required,  and  is  regulated  by  a 
small  weir  discharging  into  the  old  bed  of  Sherman  Creek.  Sherman 
Creek  crosses  the  level  between  locks  Nos.  G  and  7  just  below  lock  No. 
6  by  means  of  a  discharge  weir  over  the  right  side  of  the  canal.  This 
weir  also  serves  to  regulate  the  water  in  this  level. 

POWER. 

Electric  power  for  operating  the  valves,  gates,  pumps,  etc.,  can  be 
developed  by  taking  water  from  the  level  above  lock  No.  2  and  lead¬ 
ing  it  through  a  tunnel  and  pipes  to  the  power  house,  about  1,200  feet 


360 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


to  the  right  of  station  1200,  using  the  gulf  and  Eighteen-Mile  Creek 
as  a  tail  race.  A  head  of  100  feet  can  be  obtained.  From  this  central 
station  the  power  can  be  distributed  to  each  of  the  locks  on  this  route, 
excepting  lock  No.  1,  at  Buffalo,  where  it  would  be  cheaper  to  develop 
power  near  the  site  of  the  lock. 

“n”  LINE. 

The  “B”  line  leaves  the  main  line  at  station  1245,  swings  to  the 
right,  and  enters  the  gulf  about  station  1281,  where  a  flight  of  two 
double  locks  with  a  lift  of  40  feet  each  is  to  be  built,  making  the  ele¬ 
vation  of  the  level  below  485. 

It  then  follows  the  gulf  to  station  1308  and  swings  to  the  left  to  sta¬ 
tion  1300,  where  a  flight  of  three  double  locks  with  40  feet  lift  each 
is  put  in,  making  the  level  of  the  water  below  305,  which  is  carried 
to  station  1630,  where  a  single  lock  of  304  feet  lift  is  put  in,  making 
the  level  below  334.5,  the  same  as  below  lock  No.  7  on  the  main  line. 

It  then  joins  the  main  line  at  station  1658,  and  from  this  point  to 
Lake  Ontario  the  two  lines  are  identical. 

A  masonry  dam  70  feet  high  across  the  gulf  would  be  required  to 
the  right  of  station  1327.  The  west  branch  of  Eighteen-Mile  Creek 
would  be  taken  into  the  channel  at  station  1400  and  pass  out  over  a 
spillway  at  station  1490.  Six  highway  bridges  and  2  miles  of  new 
highway  would  be  necessary. 

Power  for  operating  valves,  gates,  pumps,  etc.,  can  be  developed 
by  taking  water  from  the  channel  about  station  1335  and  carrying  it 
by  canal  and  pipes  to  the  power  house  in  the  gulf,  which  would  be 
used  as  a  tail  race.  A  net  head  of  110  feet  can  be  had.  However, 
this  would  require  a  by-pass  about  1,000  feet  long  to  carry  the  water 
to  the  left  of  lock  No.  2  from  the  upper  level  to  the  gulf  opposite  sta¬ 
tion  1290.  A  net  head  of  70  feet  could  also  be  utilized  at  this  point, 
making  a  total  net  head  available  of  180  feet  if  two  separate  plants 
are  installed.  The  power  thus  developed  can  be  distributed  electric¬ 
ally  to  all  of  the  locks  on  the  route  except  No.  1,  at  Buffalo. 

Estimates  are  based  on  the  following  widths  for  both  the  21  and  30 
foot  channels: 

In  Niagara  River,  600  feet  wide. 

From  the  Niagara  River  to  the  gorge  of  Eighteen-Mile  Creek,  at  the 
foot  of  lock  No.  10,  standard  canal  sections.  Foot  of  lock  No.  10  to 
Lake  Ontario,  400  feet  wide.  From  the  shore  of  the  lake  to  deep 
water,  600  feet  wide. 

HARBOR. 

/ 

The  harbor  at  Olcott  is  shallow,  with  a  shale  rock  bottom,  which 
must  be  excavated  to  the  required  depth  and  a  breakwater  built  to 
protect  it  from  the  waves  of  the  lake.  The  discussion  and  estimate 
of  the  breakwater  are  given  in  Appendix  No.  3.  The  design  of  the 
channel  from  the  foot  of  lock  No.  10  to  the  lake  contemplates  an 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


361 


inner  harbor  400  feet  wide  and  about  a  mile  long,  so  that  it  will  not 
be  necessary  to  make  any  further  excavation  in  the  lake  than  the 
600-foot  channel  until  the  volume  of  traffic  requires  it. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  make  provision  for  taking  care  of  the  flood 
waters  of  the  streams  on  this  route. 

Tonawanda  Creek  can  enter  the  Niagara  River  as  at  present  with¬ 
out  any  additional  work. 

Sawyers  Creek,  at  station  767,  has  a  flood  discharge  of  about  1,200 
cubic  feet  per  second  and  practically  no  flow  during  dry  weather.  The 
bed  of  the  stream  is  at  about  elevation  570,  or  5  feet  above  the  low 
water  in  the  canal.  The  bottom  of  the  canal  at  this  point  is  in  solid 
rock  and  retaining  walls  are  built  on  each  side.  It  is  proposed  to  fill 
the  bed  of  the  creek  on  the  right  to  the  level  or  above  the  top  of  the 
retaining  wall;  on  the  left,  for  a  length  of  200  feet,  the  wall  will  be 
built  to  elevation  555,  giving  a  sectional  area  of  opening  at  low  water 
of  2,000  square  feet,  through  which  the  water  can  pass  into  the  canal. 
This  area  will  be  larger  at  high  water.  A  basin  200  feet  wide  and  600 
feet  long  will  be  excavated  to  elevation  552,  in  which  the  sediment 
will  be  deposited  before  entering  the  canal.  At  the  upper  end  of  this 
basin  a  dam  will  be  built  to  the  elevation  of  the  present  bed  of  the 
stream. 

Bull  Creek  is  crossed  at  station  841,  where  the  bottom  of  t  he  canal 
is  in  earth.  It  can  be  taken  into  the  canal  through  a  basin  100  feet 
wide  and  10  feet  deep  excavated  back  500  feet,  with  a  dam  for  holding 
back  the  earth.  The  bottom  and  sides  of  the  basin  to  above  the  high- 
water  line  should  be  paved  near  the  canal. 

The  method  of  taking  care  of  the  flood  waters  of  the  small  creek 
crossed  just  below  Lock  No.  6  has  already  been  described. 

The  next  and  last  stream  is  Eighteen-Mile  Creek,  which  1ms  practi¬ 
cally  no  discharge  at  low  water  under  normal  conditions,  but  under 
existing  conditions  its  low-water  flow  depends  on  the  amount  of  water 
being  drawn  from  the  Erie  Canal  at  Lockport.  No  measurements 
could  be  obtained  of  its  flood  discharge.  The  back  water  from  Lake 
Ontario  extends  to  the  railroad  bridge,  some  3,000  feet  above  where 
the  canal  enters  the  creek,  and  if  the  dirt  overlying  the  rock  is  exca¬ 
vated  back  for  a  distance  of  1,000  feet  it  will  give  ample  room  for  sedi¬ 
mentation  before  the  waters  enter  the  canal. 

In  the  event  the  canal  should  be  built  on  this  route,  a  number  of 
changes  of  both  railroads  and  highways  will  be  necessary,  and  bridges 
must  be  built  to  cross  the  canal.  These  changes  and  structures  would 
be  subject  to  agreement  between  the  United  States  and  the  several 
parties  interested,  and  the  final  disposition  might  be  materially 
changed  from  any  project  now  submitted.  This  statement  applies 
with  equal  force  to  all  the  routes  considered.  However,  for  the  pur¬ 
pose  of  estimating  the  cost  of  the  work,  the  following  project  is 
suggested. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


362 

A  rearrange  men  of  the  railroads  should  be  made  in  the  vicinity  of 
Tonawanda.  The  yards  of  the  New  York  Central  and  the  Erie  rail¬ 
roads  should  be  moved  entirely  north  of  the  channel,  and  the  align¬ 
ment  of  the  Lockport  branch  of  the  New  York  Central  should  be 
changed  to  leave  the  main  line  about  one-half  mile  north  of  station 
610,  and  then  continue  in  a  straight  line  to  a  junction  with  the  pres¬ 
ent  location  near  Sawyers  Creek.  The  Lockport  branch  of  the  Erie 
Railroad,  which  has  recently  been  converted  into  an  electric  road, 
should  leave  the  main  tracks  about  1,000  feet  south  of  station  617  and 
follow  the  present  line  of  the  New  York  Central  road  to  opposite  sta¬ 
tion  660,  where  it  would  join  the  existing  line  of  the  Erie.  This 
arrangement  would  locate  the  Lockport  branch  of  the  Erie  road 
entirely  to  the  right  and  that  of  the  New  York  Central  entirely  to  the 
left  of  the  canal. 

Taking  up  the  bridges  and  road  changes  in  regular  order,  beginning 
at  the  Niagara  River,  we  have  the  following: 

1.  Move  bridge  at  station  600  about  1,000  feet  downstream. 

2.  Build  new  highway  bridge  at  station  607. 

3.  Build  new  double-track  bridge  at  station  613  for  the  New  York 
Central  Railroad.  (Bridges  2  and  3  may  be  combined  into  one,  but 
the  cost  would  be  about  the  same  in  either  case.) 

4.  Build  single-track  swing  bridge  at  station  619  for  Erie  Railroad. 

o.  Build  combined  highway  and  single-track  electric  railway  bridge 

at  station  625. 

6.  Build  combined  highway  and  double-track  electric  railway  bridge 
at  station  641. 

7.  Build  highway  bridge  at  station  670. 

8.  Build  highway  bridge  at  Sawyers  Creek,  station  765,  and  change 
Shawnee  road  to  the  west  of  New  York  Central  Railroad  so  as  to  reach 
this  bridge. 

9.  Build  highway  bridge  at  station  849  and  change  both  the  Bear 
Ridge  and  Town  Line  roads  to  cross  this  bridge. 

10.  Build  highway  bridge  at  station  1026  and  change  the  Pendleton, 
Sulphur  Springs,  and  Hodgeville  roads  to  cross  this  bridge. 

11.  Build  combined  highway  and  double-track  bridge  for  New  York 
Central  Railroad  at  station  1232,  and  change  both  highway  and  rail¬ 
road  to  cross  at  this  point,  and  build  new  highway  to  left  of  channel 
from  station  1232  to  station  1302. 

12.  Build  highway  bridge  over  Lock  No.  2,  at  station  1302,  and 
change  Gulf  road  on  east  side  to  connect  with  it. 

13.  Build  highway  bridge  at  Lock  No.  6,  station  1394,  and  change 
road  to  cross  it. 

14.  Put  in  ferry  for  highway  crossing  at  station  1454. 

15.  Build  highway  bridge  over  Lock  No.  7  and  change  road  to  cross  it. 

16.  Build  highway  bridge  at  station  1700. 

17.  The  canal  crosses  the  Rome,  Watertown  and  Ogdensburg  Rail¬ 
road  above  the  head  of  Lock  No.  8,  station  1808.  The  elevation  of  the 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


363 


low  water  on  this  level  is  334.5  and  the  high  water  about  336.  If  the 
top  of  the  center  pier  is  made  3  feet  above  high  water  and  the  top  of  the 
rail  14  feet  above  the  top  of  the  pier,  we  would  have  336+3  +  14  =  353 
for  the  grade  of  the  railroad,  if  crossing  at  this  point.  The  eleva¬ 
tion  of  the  present  grade  of  the  road  is  about  318.  It  would,  there¬ 
fore,  be  necessary  to  raise  the  roadbed  35  feet  at  the  canal  crossing 
and  extend  the  filling  each  way  some  4,000  feet,  and  rebuild  the  bridge 
across  Eighteen- Mile  Creek. 

As  an  alternate  plan,  the  alignment  of  the  road  can  be  changed  to 
cross  below  lock  No.  10,  station  1840,  with  a  fixed  span  giving  90  feet 
clear  headway.  Estimates  are  made  on  this  plan  for  a  fixed  bridge 
for  both  railroad  and  highway,  together  with  the  necessary  changes  of 
roads. 

18.  Provision  should  be  made  for  a  highway  crossing  at  Olcott, 
either  by  steam  ferry  or  a  drawbridge.  Estimates  are  based  on  the 
latter  plan. 

In  addition  to  the  above  items  the  pipe  system  of  the  Tonawanda 
waterworks  should  be  rearranged  and  the  electric  transmission  cable 
running  from  Niagara  Falls  to  Buffalo  should  be  taken  under  the  canal 
by  tunnel. 

In  case  the  “B”  line  should  be  adopted,  similar  changes  of  high¬ 
ways  and  railroads  would  be  necessary. 

For  the  21-foot  channel  the  location  of  canal,  lift  and  location  of 
locks,  location  and  character  of  structures,  etc.,  are  the  same  as  for 
the  30-foot  channel. 

Estimates  of  quantities  and  cost  of  all  work,  including  right  of  way, 
are  given  in  the  following  tables: 

Table  No.  6. — Existing  crossings — Tonawandci-Olcott  route. 


Location. 

Present 

Remarks. 

Place. 

Station. 

grade. 

Railway. 

International  bridge. 

128 

590.0 

Single-track  railroad. 

Tonawanda. . 

tan 

576. 0 

Island  street.  Tonawanda.  Single-track  railroad  and 
highway  bridge.  Draw  span,  2  openings,  80  feet  in 
clear  each. 

Do . . 

611-613 

575. 0 

New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  R.  R.,  Buffalo 
and  Niagara  Falls  Branch,  9  tracks— 2  main  tracks 
and  7  sidings. 

Do. . 

617 

576. 0 

Erie  R.  R.,  Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls  Branch,  7 
tracks — 1  main  track  and  6  sidings. 

Do . . 

627 

575. 0 

Single-track  electric  railway. 

Do . 

641 

579. 0 

Buffalo  and  Niagara  Falls  double-track  electric  rail¬ 
road. 

Do . . 

644 

580.0 

Erie  R.  R. ,  Lockport  Branch,  single  track. 

Do . . 

716 

580.0 

New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  R.  R.  Single 
track,  Lockport  Branch. 

Do . . 

1238 

610. 8 

New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  R.  R.  Double 
track,  Lockport  and  Niagara  Falls  Branch. 

Newfane  station _ 

1808 

318.0 

Rome,  Watertown  and  Ogdensburg  R.  R.  Single 
track. 

Highway. 

North  Tonawanda 

601 

577.0 

Swing  bridge  across  branch  of  Niagara  River  carry¬ 
ing  single-track  siding. 

Do . 

607 

577.0 

Main  street.  Important. 

Do _ _ 

627 

575. 0 

Vandervort  street,  single-track  electric  railroad. 

Do . . 

641 

579.0 

Paynes  avenue,  double  track  electric  railroad.  Be¬ 
sides  these  streets,  Shenk  street  at  619,  Oliver  street 
at  623,  Robinson  street  at  631,  Keil  street  at  636,  Mil¬ 
ler  street  at  648,  are  crossed  in  North  Tonawanda. 

364 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Table  No.  6 — Existing  crossings — Tonawanda-Olcott  route — Continued. 


Location. 

Place. 

Station. 

Present 

grade. 

Remarks. 

Highway — Continued. 

Nortli  Tonawanda  .. 

663 

575. 0 

Nash  road.  Important. 

689 

575. 0 

Martinsville  road.  Unimportant. 

764 

East  avenue.  Unimportant. 

766 

578.0 

Creek  road.  Important. 

Shawnee  road.  Not  very  much  used. 

786 

576. 0 

832 

579. 0 

Town  line  road.  Not  very  much  used. 

869 

578. 0 

County  road.  Unimportant. 

966 

590. 0 

Cross  road.  Considerably  used. 

1018 

590. 0 

Pendleton  road.  Important. 

1035 

591.0 

Sulphur  Springs  road.  Considerably  used. 

1093 

589. 0 

Hodgeville  road.  Not  much  used. 

1149 

596. 0 

Buttermilk  lane.  Not  much  used. 

1181 

608.0 

Hinman  road.  Important. 

1236 

610. 0 

Lockport  road.  Important. 

1276 

615. 0 

Pekin  road.  Considerably  used. 

1293 

573.0 

Crapsey  road.  Not  important. 

1310 

530.  0 

Gulf  road.  Not  important. 

1357 

425.0 

Eldridge  road.  Not  important. 

1389 

390.0 

Stone  road.  Important. 

1454 

370.0 

Turnpike  road.  Not  verv  much  used. 

1535 

360. 0 

Swamp  road.  Unimportant. 

1579 

358. 0 

Bennett  road.  Unimportant. 

1661 

346.  0 

Unimportant. 

1700 

345.  0 

Ide  road.  Considerable  travel. 

1782 

325.0 

Not  very  much  used. 

1825 

318. 0 

West  Creek  road.  Not  very  much  used. 

1887 

253. 0 

Lake  road.  Fixed  span  bridge  across  Eighteen-mile 
Creek. 

Table  No.  7. — Location,  cost,  etc.,  of  proposed  bridges — Tonawanda-Olcott  route. 


Location. 

Sta¬ 

tion. 

Kind  of  bridge. 

Si  a 5 
a>.M 

^  s 
a  2 

£  ° 

Swing  or 
fixed. 

Num¬ 
ber  of 
spans. 

Thirty-foot 

channel. 

Twenty-one-foot 

channel. 

Total 

length. 

Estimat¬ 
ed  cost. 

Total 

length. 

Estimat¬ 
ed  cost. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

International 

128 

Railway  . . 

1 

Swing. . 

1 

537.1 

$146, 686 

5174 

8129, 650 

bridge. 

North  Tona- 

607 

Highway . 

_ do . . . 

1 

545 

100,246 

52 5 

92. 226 

wanda. 

Do  . 

613 

Railway . . 

9 

_ do _ 

1 

551) 

231,063 

530 

203, 427 

Do _ 

619 

_ do  . 

1 

_ do . . . 

1 

5374 

143,016 

51/4 

127; 412 

Do . 

625 

Highway _ 

_ do . . . 

1 

545 

105,430 

525 

89, 604 

Do . 

641 

Highway  and 

•> 

....do... 

1 

550 

158, 466 

530 

139, 938 

electric  rail- 

wav. 

Do  . . 

670 

Highway . 

_ do  ... 

1 

545 

105, 430 

525 

89,604 

Sawyers 

7t55 

. do . 

_ do . . 

1 

545 

73,700 

525 

88, 664 

Creek. 

Do . 

849 

. do . 

.  .do . .. 

1 

545 

105,430 

525 

94, 547 

Do  . . . 

1026 

. do . 

_ do . . . 

1 

567 

547 

Do. . . 

1181 

. _ .  do . 

...do _ 

1 

600 

74, 392 

579 

69, 806 

Do . 

1232 

Railway  and 

2 

_ do . . . 

1 

738 

309; 774 

718 

a  294, 069 

highway. 

Do . 

1302 

Highway  . . 

. . .  do . . 

1 

235 

19,986 

195 

Do . 

1394 

. _  do . 

...  do . . 

1 

235 

19,986 

195 

Do. . 

1614 

_ do . . 

_ do  . . . 

1 

235 

19,986 

195 

Do . 

1700 

. do . . 

do . . 

1 

547 

Do . 

1840 

Railway  and 

1 

Fixed  .. 

o 

558 

156,996 

558 

b  156, 996 

highway. 

Olcott.  _ 

1888 

Hii?hwav 

Swing.. 

‘> 

858 

109,638 

858 

c 109, 638 

Bridges  not  over  canal. 

Tonawanda. .. 

607 

Highway . 

_ do . 

3 

4574 

33, 091 

33,091 

Sawyers 

_ do . 

Fixed 

1 

80' 

3,726 

3,726 

Creek. 

Total. ... 

2, 052, 190 

1,899,240 

a  Double  deck,  draw  span,  two  63-foot  girders. 

c  Two  draw  spans. 


Note.— Highway  bridges . 

Single-track  bridges . 

Dou  ble-traek  bridges . 

Double-track  double-deck  bridges 


b  Width  C.  to  C.  trusses,  40  feet. 


Feet  clear  opening. 

.  22 

.  14 


26 

29 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


365 


Table  No.  8. — Tonawanda-Olcott  route. 
LOCKS. 


Location. 

Length 
of  level 

Num¬ 

ber. 

Lift. 

Kind. 

Elevation 
standard  low 
water. 

Place. 

Station. 

above. 

Single  or 
double. 

Individual  or 
in  flight. 

Above 

lock. 

Below 

lock. 

Miles. 

Buffalo . 

88+97 

1 

8. 0 

571.3 

565.0 

566. 3 
525.0 

Lockport . . 

1299  +97 

22  9 

‘> 

10.0 

Single  - .  _ 

_ do  . . 

Lockport  flight _ 

Do . . 

1338  +97 

.7 

3 

1 

10. 0 
io.o 

Double. . . 

.  do 

Plight . 

.  do 

525. 0 
185  0 

485. 0 
445  o 

Do . 

5 

io.o 

. . .  do . . 

.  do 

115  0 

405  <i 

1391+97 

.8 

6 

10.0 

Single _ 

Individual . . 

105.0 

365.0 

1611+97 

1.2 

7 

30.5 

_ .do _ 

. do . 

365. 0 

334. 5 

Olcott  flight . 

Do _ _ 

1816+16 

3.8 

8 

9 

30.0 

30.0 

Double. . . 
_  do 

Flight _ 

331. 5 
301  5 

3(4.5 
371  5 

.  - 

1831+26 

10 

30.0 

. do _ 

_ do . 

371. 5 

311. 5 

COST,  a 


Location. 

Station. 

Thirty-foot 

channel. 

Twenty-one- 
foot  channel. 

Operating 

machinery. 

Buffalo . 

b  $1, 720,  a58 

1 , 153, 666 
6, 338,160 
1,388,916 
1,204,061 
5, 448, 315 

581,135,113 
910,120 
1,218,816 
874, 665 
758, 593 
3, 672. 691 

$100,000 

Lockport . . 

1299  +  97 
1338  +97 
1391+97 
1611+97 
1816+16 

Lockport  flight  _  . 

Olcott  flight. . . . 

6(10,665 

Total  .  . .  . 

17, 553,  779 
700,000 

11,600.601 

700,000 

700,000 

Operating  machinery  . . 

Total . . . . . 

18,253,779 

12,300,601 

a  The  cost  is  that  of  the  structure  complete,  except  the  excavation. 
b  For  standard  low  water  Lake  Erie  regulated. 


Table  No.  9 — Estimate  for  30-foot  channel — Tonawanda-Olcott  route. 
NIAGARA  RIVER  (FROM  STATION  —  85  TO  STATION  001). 


1  Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

With  regulating  works. 

Earth . cubic  yards.. 

Rock,  dry . . . do 

Rock,  wet  (in  Lake  Erie) . do _ 

Rock,  wet  (in  Niagara  River) . .do _ 

Regulating  works . . . . 

11,065, 771 
90, 014 
1. 687, 650 
2, 673, 100 

80. 15 
1.00 
3. 00 
2.00 

81, 659, 866 
90,014 
5,062.950 
5, 316, 200 
796. 923 
1, 720, 358 
100,000 

Lock  No.  1 . 

Operating  machinery . 

Total . . . . .  . . 

11,776, 311 

Without  regulating  works. 

Earth . . . cubic  yards.. 

Rock,  dry . . . . . do _ 

Rock,  wet  (Lake  Erie) . . do _ 

Rock,  wet  (Niagara  River). . . . do _ 

Lock  No.  1 .  . . 

11,101,971 
90,014 
2,227,900 
2, 968, 600 

.16 
1.00 
3.  (Kl 
2.00 

1, 665, 296 
90,014 
6,683, 700 
5,937,200 
1, 726, 838 
100,000 

Operating  machinery . . . . 

Total.. . 

16, 203,  (48 

Quantities  common  to  both. 

Retaining  wall  . . cubic  yards.. 

Slope  wall . . . square  yards.. 

Back  fill . . . . cu  bic  y ard  s . . 

Timber  cribs: 

Pine . . . . feet  B.  M_. 

Hemlock . . . do _ 

Oak . ..do 

Iron . pounds.. 

Stone  fill . . . . . . . cubic  vards. 

Bridge . number.. 

Right  of  way  . . '...acres.. 

Tunnel  waterworks . . linear  feet.. 

Total.  . . _. . . . . . . 

224, 148 
22, 957 
223,702 

756. 860 
4,012. 180 
48.000 
136.330 
58. 860 

1 

16 

1,000 

4.00 

1.10 

.25 

a  30. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  50. 00 
.03 
.60 

4.000.00 
30. 00 

896, 592 
25, 253 
55, 926 

22.706 
92  287 
2,100 
13,090 
35,316 
116, 686 
181.000 
30  O  H) 

1,501,256 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


366 


Table  No.  9. — Estimate  for  30-foot  channel — Tona wanda- Olcott  route — Cont'd. 
TOTAL  COST  NIAGARA  RIVER  (STATION  —85  TO  STATION  601). 


With  regulating  works: 

Excavation,  etc . . . . . . $14,776,311 

Retaining  wall,  etc  . . - . - .  . . . .  1,504,256 


Total . _ . . . . . . . . . .  16,280,567 


Without  regulating  works: 

Excavation,  etc . . . . .  . ’ _  16,203.048 

Retaining  walls,  etc .  . . . . . . .  1.504,256 


Total. .  .  . „ . . . . .  .  17,707,304 


CANAL  (STATION  61)1  TO  STATION  1893  +50). 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Excavation. 

In  North  Tonawanda  (stations  601  to  667:) 

Earth . . . 

. cubic  yards.. 

2,982,425 

$0.20 

$596, 485 

Rock  . . . . . . . 

_ _ do  — 

32, 500 

.70 

22. 750 

North  Tonawanda  to  foot  lock  No.  5  (stations  667  to  1358  +  51): 

Earth  _ _ _ _ _ 

_ cubic  yards. . 

17, 173, 906 

.18 

3, 091, 303 

Hardpan _ _ _ _ _ _ 

. . do - 

4, 085, 995 

.30 

1.225.799 

Rock,  drv  . . . .  . . 

.  - _ _ do _ 

17,940,657 

.65 

11,661,427 

Foot  lock  No.  5  to  shore  line  Lake  Ontario  (stations  1538  +31  to 

1893  +50): 

Earth .  . . . . 

_ cubic  yards.. 

7, 988. 363 

.18 

1, 437, 905 

Hardpan . . . . . 

. . do _ 

923, 400 

.30 

277. 020 

Rock,  dry _ _ 

. . ..do _ 

10,709,370 

.60 

6,  425, 622 

Rock,  wet . . . . . . 

_ _ do _ 

1.096,550 

1.75 

1.918.963 

Walls,  locks,  etc. : 

Retaining  wall . .  . . 

_ do _ 

&58, 784 

4.50 

1,614,528 

162, 499 

4.00 

649, 996 

Slope  wall..  . . . . 

. .  square  yards .. 

192, 154 

1.10 

211,369 

87, 461 

1.45 

126, 818 

Back  fill _ _ _ 

..  cubic  yards.. 

1,348,402 

.25 

337, 101 

Embankments. ..  . . . . 

-  - . . do - 

632, 350 

.15 

94,853 

Crib  walls: 

Pine . . . . 

. feet  B.  M. . 

3, 890, 880 

a  30. 00 

116. 726 

Hemlock . . . . . . . 

..  - . do _ 

19.423,350 

a  23.00 

446,  737 

Oak . . . . .  . 

199,680 

a  50. 00 

9, 984 

Iron . . . . . . 

. . pounds. . 

1,951.870 

.03 

58, 556 

Stone  fill . . . 

_ cubic  yards.. 

308, 7(38 

.30 

91,130 

Locks  2  to  10.  inclusive  _  _  _ 

.  __  number 

9 

15,833,421 

Oneratiner  machinery  .  _ 

600.  (HK) 

Bridees  _  _  _ _  _  _ 

_ number 

19 

1, 905, 504 

Railroad  changes . . . . . 

199, 640 

Diversion  of  streams _ _  _  _  _ _ 

68,943 

Steam  ferry _  _ 

number 

1 

20,000 

Bv-nasses _  _  .  _  .  .  _  ...  .  . 

39, 585 

Right  of  way: 

Village  property  . . . . 

_ _ acres. 

190 

1,246,960 

Farm  nronertv  _ 

_ do 

6,249 

823,'  875 

Total _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

51,153,000 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 

LAKE  ONTARIO  (STATION  1893+50  TO  STATION  1919). 


Excavation. 

Earth . . . . . cubic  yards. . 

Rock  . . . . . . .do _ 

Breakwater  . . . . . . 

8, 475 
431,400 

$0. 15 
1.75 

$1, 271 
754, 950 
584, 705 

Total . . . 

1,340,926 

SUMMARY. 


With  regu¬ 
lating 
works. 

Without 

regulating 

works. 

Niagara  River  .  .  . . 

$16, 280, 567 
51,153,000 
1,340,926 

$17,707,304 
51, 153,000 
1,340,926 

Canal  section . . . . . . . . . 

Lake  Ontario . 

Total  cost  of  route . . . . . . . 

68, 774, 493 

70,201,230 

DEEP  WATERWAYS 


367 


Table  No.  10. — Estimate  for  21- foot  channel — Tonaicanda-Olcott  route . 
NIAGARA  RIVER  (FROM  STATION  —38  TO  STATION  601). 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

With  regulating  works. 

Earth . cubic  yards. 

Rock,  dry . .do 

Rock,  wet  (in  Lake  Erie) . . do 

Rock,  wet  (in  Niagara  River) . do _ 

Regulating  works . . . 

5,110,104 
13, 219 
419, 850 
641, 100 

$0.15 
1.00 
3. 00 
2.00 

$766,516 
13,219 
1,259,550 
1,282,200 
796. 923 
1,135,413 
100, 000 

Lock  No.  1 . .  . . . 

Operating  machinery . 

Total . . . 

5, 353, 821 

Without  regulating  ivorks. 

Earth . . . . cubic  yards.. 

Rock,  dry . do _ 

Rock,  wet  (Lake  Erie) . do _ 

Rock,  wet  (Niagara  River) . .do _ 

Lock  No.  1 . . . . . . .  . 

5,146,354 
13.219 
718, 100 
923, 250 

.15 
1.00 
3.00 
2. 00 

771.953 
13,219 
2, 154, 300 
1, 846, 500 
1,141,893 
100, 000 

Operating  machinery..  . . . 

Total . . . .  ..  . . . . 

6, 027, 865 

.  Quantities  common  to  both  plans. 

Retaining  wall . cubic  vards. . 

Slope  wall . square  yards.. 

Back  fill . cubic  yards.. 

Timber  crib  work: 

Pine  . feet  B.  M.. 

Hemlock .  . ...do _ 

Oak  . . do _ 

Iron. . . pounds.. 

Stone  fill . cubic  yards.. 

Bridge . number. . 

224, 148 
23,887 
213, 830 

756,860 

2,693,240 

48,000 

311,340 

41.010 

1 

46 

1,000 

4.00 

1.10 

.25 

a  30. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  50. 00 
.03 
.60 

896,592 
26. 276 
53, 458 

22, 706 
61,945 
2,400 
9, 340 
24,606 
129,650 
184,000 
30,000 

Right  of  way  . . . . . . . acres.. 

Tunnel  waterworks . ..linear  feet.. 

Total . . . . 

4, 000. 00 
30.00 

1,440.973 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 


TOTAL  COST  NIAGARA  RIVER  (STATION  -38  TO  STATION  601). 


With  regulating  works: 

Excavation,  etc .  $5, 353, 83] 

Retaining  walls,  etc . ... .  .  1,440, 973 


Total .  6.794,794 


Without  regulating  works: 

Excavation,  etc .  6, 027, 865 

Retaining  walls,  etc .  1,440,973 


Total  . .  7,468,838 


CANAL  (STATION  601  TO  STATION  1893+50). 


Excavation. 

In  North  Tonawanda  (stations  601  to  667): 

Earth . cubic  yards.. 

North  Tonawanda  to  foot  of  lock  N o.  5  (stations  667  to  1355  +01 ) : 

Earth . cubic  yards. 

Hardpan . . do  — 

Rock . . .  .  .  do _ 

Foot  lock  No.  5  to  shore  Lake  Ontario  (stations  1355  +01  to 
1893  +50): 

Earth . cubic  yards.. 

Hardpan . do  — 

Rock,  dry . - . do — 

Rock,  wet . do  — 

Walls,  locks,  etc.: 

Retaining  wall . cubic  yards. . 

Slope  wall . square  yards.. 

Back  fill . . . cubic  yards.. 

Embankment . . . do — 


2,321,350 

14, 907, 601 
3,044,977 
12, 916, 906 


6,902,568 
653. 450 
6, 195,113 
628, 400 

3(X),  505 
48, 168 
87, 000 
228. 685 
909, 071 
570, 900 


Cost  per 
unit. 


$0. 20 


Total. 


.18 
.30 
.  65 


.18 

.30 

.60 

1.75 

4.50 

4.00 

1.+5 

1.10 

.25 

.15 


$464, 270 

2, 683, 368 
913, 493 
8, 395, 989 


1,242,462 
196,035 
3,  717,067 
1,099,700 

1,352,273 
192, 673 
126, 150 
251.554 
227, 268 
85, 635 


368 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Table  No.  10. — Estimate  for  21-foot  channel — Tonawanda-Olcott  route — Cont’d. 
CANAL  (STATION  601  TO  STATION  1893  +  50)— Continued. 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Excavation — Continued. 

Timber  crib: 

Pine . 

Hemlock . . . . . . 

Oak . . . 

Iron . . . . 

Stone  fill . . . - . 

Locks  >In9.2  to  10.  inclusive  .  . 

- - do  — 

. .pounds.. 

cubic  yards. . 

4,330, 980 
14, 683, 520 
218, 160 
1, 563, 154 
239, 450 

a  |30. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  50. 00 
.03 
.60 

§129, 929 
33  r.  721 
10,908 
46, 895 
143, 670 
10,465. 188 
600, U00 

Odpth timr  machinerv .  ...  _ _  _ _ .  _  _  -  _ 

Kride*es  . . 

n  umbel-. 

19 

1, 769. 590 
199,640 
68,9+3 
20,000 
39,585 

1,246,960 
823, 875 

Railroad  changes . . . . . . . 

TYivftrsinn  of  st.rp.ams  .  _  _  .  _  _  _  _  _ 

number 

I 

Right  of  way: 

. acres. . 

190 

Farm  property . . . . . 

. . ..do _ 

6,249 

Total _  _  _ 

36,850, 840 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 


LAKE  ONTARIO  (STA.  1893  +  50  TO  1915). 


Excavation. 

Earth . . . .cubic  yards.. 

Rock  .  - . . do - 

8,550 

101,750 

$0  15 
1. 75 

§1,283 
178, 063 
296,334 

475, 680 

SUMMARY. 


With  reg¬ 
ulating 
works. 

Without 

regulating 

works. 

§6, 794, 794 
36, 850, 840 
475,  680 

§7, 468, 838 
36, 850, 840 
475, 680 

Canal  section _ _ _ _ _ _ .. _ 

Total  cost  of  route _  _ _ _ _ _ _ 

44, 121,314 

44, 795, 358 

WATERWAY  FROM  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN  TO  THE  HUDSON  RIVER  AT 
TROY,  DESIGNATED  AS  THE  HUDSON  RIVER  DIVISION  OF  THE 
CHAMPLAIN  ROUTE. 

After  the  surveys  were  completed,  and  while  the  borings  were  being 
finished  on  the  Niagara  routes,  the  survey  party  was  engaged  in 
measuring  the  flood  discharge  of  the  Upper  Mohawk  River  and  other 
streams,  which  will  be  reported  upon  in  detail  in  Part  III. 

After  the  flood  measurements  were  completed  the  party  proceeded 
to  Troy,  N.  Y.,  on  April  15,  1.898.  The  borings  were  completed  on 
the  Niagara  routes  April  20,  and  the  boring  parties  arrived  at  Troy 
on  the  22d.  Both  the  survey  and  boring  parties  immediately  began 
work  on  the  Hudson  River  division  of  the  Champlain  route. 

This  division  begins  at  deep  water  in  Lake  Champlain  opposite 
Port  Henry  and  follows  southerly  up  the  lake  to  Whitehall,  where  it 
cuts  across  country  southwesterly  to  the  Hudson  River  near  Fort 
Edward,  following  generally  the  valleys  of  Wood  Creek  and  Bond 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


369 


Creek.  From  Fort  Edward  to  the  State  dam  at  Troy,  which  is  the 
southern  end  of  this  division,  the  channel  follows  generally  the  bed 
of  the  Hudson  River. 

Below  the  Troy  dam  and  to  deep  water  at  Germantown  the  surveys 
and  borings  were  made  by  II.  F.  Dose,  assistant  engineer,  and  are 
designated  as  tin*  Hudson  River  survey. 

Lake  Champlain  marks  the  path  of  ancient  glaciers  which  passed 
from  the  valley  of  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  valley  of  the  Hudson.  The 
foothills  of  the  Adirondack  Mountains,  broken  and  steep,  form  its 
west  shore,  and  the  broken  and  rocky  foothills  of  Green  Mountains 
form  its  east  shore,  making  the  lake  a  deep,  narrow  trough  cut 
through  these  mountains.  The  valley  of  Wood  Creek  and  Bond 
Creek  marks  the  old  glacial  path  from  Lake  Champlain  at  Whitehall 
to  the  Hudson  River  at  Fort  Edward.  It  varies  in  width  from  a  few 
hundred  feet  to  1  mile  and  has  broken,  rocky  banks  on  each  side. 
From  Fort  Edward  to  Troy  the  valley  of  the  Hudson  River  is  generally 
from  one-quarter  mile  to  1  mile  wide,  with  high,  broken  banks  on  the 
east  and  west,  while  the  bed  of  the  river  is  from  400  to  1,200  feet 
wide.  The  location  follows  the  lowest  ground  from  Lake  Champlain 
to  Troy  and  is  generally  parallel  to  the  Champlain  Canal,  the  several 
sections  of  which  were  opened  from  1819  to  182-3. 


SURVEYS. 

The  surveys  and  examinations  on  this  route  were  made  in  accord¬ 
ance  with  the  instructions  of  your  honorable  Board  to  the  assistant 
engineers,  Appendix  No.  9,  and  differed  from  the  surveys  of  the 
Niagara  route  only  in  that  soundings  and  borings  were  made  in  the 
river  and  lake  and  the  notes  were  plotted  in  the  field  office  as  the 
work  progressed. 

In  1897  I).  J.  Howell,  assistant  engineer,  began  the  surveys  of  the 
Mohawk  River  and,  in  connection  with  them,  measured  a  base  line  up 
the  Hudson  River  from  the  Troy  dam  to  the  Waterford  bridge,  and 
also  made  a  shore-line  survey  of  the  river  and  established  bench  mark 
No.  7  at  Waterford,  elevation  30.62,  which  was  used  as  the  starting 
point  for  the  levels  on  this  line.  The  base  line  was  started  from  sta¬ 
tion  24-G  +  77.46  of  Mr.  Howell’s  Hudson  River  base. 

Between  the  Troy  dam  and  Waterford  the  surveys  consisted  of 
soundings  and  borings  in  the  river.  All  the  topography  on  the  left 
bank  and  about  half  of  it  on  the  right  bank,  also  the  base  line  and 
levels,  were  done  by  Mr.  Howell.  The  levels  between  Mr.  Howell’s 
bench  mark  No.  1  and  the  Greenbush  bench  mark  were  run  by  II.  F. 
Dose,  assistant  engineer.  All  elevations  are  referred  to  the  Green- 
bush  bench  mark,  elevation  14.73  above  mean  tide  at  New  York. 

The  survey  was  begun  at  Troy  the  latter  part  of  April,  1898,  and 
completed  to  Port  Henry  in  January,  1899,  and  covered  a  length, 

H.  Doc.  149 - 24 


370* 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


measured  aiong  the  center  line  of  the  located  canal,  of  97.5  miles, 


divided  as  follows: 

Miles. 

Hudson  River  from  Troy  to  Fort  Edward . .  38. 1 

Fort  Edward  to  Whitehall _ _ _  _  - . . . . . . . .  23.4 

Lake  Champlain  from  Whitehall  to  Port  Henry . . 36.0 


Total . . . . - . . .  97.5 


The  nature  and  extent  of  the  work  required  a  larger  force  than  had 
been  employed  on  the  Niagara  routes.  It  was  increased  to  meet  the 
demands  and  the  following  organization  effected: 

1.  A  base-line  party,  composed  of  six  men,  which  ran  the  base  line 
and  the  duplicate  line  of  levels  and  computed  the  coordinates  of  each 
transit  station,  after  first  adjusting  the  line  between  azimuth  points. 
A  copy  of  the  coordinates  and  bench  marks,  together  with  sketches 
showing  their  location,  was  turned  into  the  field  office  for  distribu¬ 
tion  to  the  various  stadia  parties  according  to  their  location.  When 
the  base-line  party  got  further  ahead  of  the  other  work  than  was 
desired,  it  would  take  up  stadia  work.  The  levels  were  run  with 
Buff  &  Berger  wye  levels  and  New  York  rods. 

2.  Two  stadia  parties,  composed  of  six  men  each,  who  made  the  sur¬ 
veys,  computed  the  coordinates  of  all  stadia  stations,  reduced  the 
elevations  of  all  stadia  shots,  and  plotted  on  a  protractor  sheet  enough 
of  the  runs  of  each  day  to  ascertain  if  the  circuits  closed  within  the 
required  limits.  Each  party  was  given  a  portion  of  the  line  varying, 
according  to  the  conditions  of  work,  from  2  to  6  miles  long,  and 
were  furnished  with  a  copy  of  the  base-line  notes  and  the  elevations 
of  all  bench  marks. 

3.  A  sounding  party,  composed  of  six  men,  who  made  soundings  in 
the  Hudson  River  from  Troy  to  Fort  Edward.  The  sounding  ranges 
were  put  in  about  300  feet  apart,  and  soundings  were  taken  25  feet 
apart  on  these  ranges.  A  copy  of  the  base-line  notes  and  locations 
and  elevations  of  bench  marks  were  furnished  to  this  party,  who  staked 
out  all  ranges  and  determined  the  elevation  of  the  water  surface  at 
each  range  and  reduced  the  soundings  to  elevations.  After  complet¬ 
ing  the  soundings  to  Fort  Edward  it  took  up  stadia  work,  thus 
giving  three  stadia  parties  in  addition  to  the  assistance  from  the  base¬ 
line  party. 

4.  An  office  force  for  plotting  and  inking  the  topographic  maps, 
varying  from  three  to  fifteen  draftsmen  and  assistants,  according  to 
the  conditions  of  the  work.  The  maps  are  of  the  standard  size,  28 
inches  by  40.5  inches,  and  are  plotted  to  a  scale  of  one  in  five  thou¬ 
sand  throughout  the  entire  length  of  the  line.  These  were  matched 
for  the  purpose  of  locating  the  canal.  In  addition  to  these,  maps 
were  plotted  on  a  larger  scale  for  localities  where  the  surface  was  ver*T 
irregular. 

Briefly,  the  method  of  mapping  was  to  arrange  the  direction  of  the 
sheets  so  as  to  take  in  the  greatest  possible  length  of  the  line.  Co- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


371 


ordinate  lines  2,000  feet  apart  were  then  plotted,  and  the  base-line 
stations  and  stadia  stations  were  plotted  by  latitudes  and  departures. 
The  stadia  shots  were  plotted  by  azimuth  and  distance — one  man 
called  off  and  another  plotted.  The  plotting  was  checked  by  the  men 
reversing  positions  and  repeating  the  operation.  Each  sheet  was 
entirely  completed  by  one  draftsman.  Two-foot  contours  are  devel¬ 
oped  on  each  map. 

5.  A  superintendent  of  borings  had  immediate  charge  of  all  bor¬ 
ings.  From  Troy  to  Fort  Edward  one  party,  consisting  of  a  foreman, 
three  laborers,  and  a  teamster  with  team,  made  the  borings  on  land, 
and  one  party,  consisting  of  a  foreman  and  three  laborers,  made  the 
borings  in  the  river.  After  reaching  Fort  Edward  the  river  party  was 
changed  to  a  land  party,  thus  giving  two  land  parties  for  the  work 
between  Fort  Edward  and  Whitehall.  For  the  land  work  the  same 
plant  was  used  as  on  the  Niagara  routes,  and  that  for  the  river  work 
only  varied  in  having  a  catamaran  from  which  to  put  down  the  holes. 
It  was  better  adapted  to  the  work  than  a  scow,  in  that  it  could  be 
taken  apart  and  carried  around  the  several  dams  in  the  river. 

The  surveys  from  Troy  to  Whitehall  were  made  wide  enough  to 
cover  any  probable  location  of  the  canal.  From  Whitehall  to  Port 
Henry  the  base  line  and  levels  were  run  along  the  west  shore  of  Lake 
Champlain  and  terminated  on  the  “North  base”  of  the  Crown  Point 
base  line  of  the  Coast  Survey  triangulation  system  1872,  lat.  44°  01' 
25.58";  long.  73°  25'  49.55". 

The  stadia  survey  extended  from  the  shore  of  the  lake  to  high 
ground,  which  was  generally  only  a  few  hundred  feet,  and  up  the 
several  streams  to  above  elevation  100. 

The  surveys  for  this  part  of  the  work  were  completed  October  21, 
1898,  and  the  borings  to  Whitehall  October  17,  1898. 

From  Whitehall  to  Port  Henry,  a  distance  of  36  miles,  the  channel 
is  located  in  Lake  Champlain,  which  varies  in  width  from  a  few 
hundred  feet  to  over  6,000  feet.  To  make  and  locate  soundings  and 
borings  in  open  water  would  require  a  large  force  and  be  very  expen¬ 
sive,  so  it  was  decided  to  wait  until  the  lake  froze  over  and  do  this 
work  on  the  ice,  which  was  begun  December  14,  1898,  and  completed 
January  21,  1899.  The  center  line  of  the  proposed  location  was  run 
with  transit,  and  soundings  were  made  to  the  banks  in  the  narrow 
parts  and  400  feet  right  and  left  in  the  wide  parts  of  the  lake.  In  the 
open  lake  the  sounding  ranges  were  200  feet  apart,  and  the  soundings 
were  spaced  50  feet  apart  on  these  ranges.  Between  Whitehall  and 
Putnam  station  the  ranges  were  100  feet  apart  and  the  soundings 
every  25  feet  on  these  ranges. 

BORINGS. 

On  account  of  cold  weather  the  machines  used  for  making  the 
borings  could  not  be  operated  without  protection  for  the  pumps  and 
water  swivels.  This  was  afforded  by  building  a  small  shanty  on 


372 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


runners  and  moving  it  from  hole  to  hole  with  a  team.  It  was  pro¬ 
vided  with  a  stove  and  trapdoors  in  the  floor  and  roof,  through  which 
the  drill  rods  could  be  passed.  The  men  worked  inside.  Each  of  the 
three  boring  parties  was  provided  with  one  of  these  shanties,  and 
they  were  admirably  adapted  to  the  work  for  which  they  were  used. 
There  was  no  difficulty  in  working  when  the  temperature  was  30° 
below  zero,  while  in  the  open  air  the  pumps  would  freeze  up  when  it 
was  colder  than  20°  above  zero. 


RESULTS  OF  STADIA  WORK. 

Taking  the  base  line  as  standard  and  correct,  and  comparing  the 
stadia  surveys  with  it,  the  following  results  were  obtained: 

Total  number  of  stadia  circuits  run ... . . .  290 

Tot:)  1  length,  in  feet  . .  . . . . . . .  2,038,370 

Mean  length  of  circuits,  in  feet  .  . . . . . .  7, 944 

Mean  error  in  latitude  per  circuit,  in  feet . .  .  3.  73 

Mean  error  in  departure  per  circuit,  in  feet .  2. 79 

Mean  error  of  closure  per  circuit . . . .  1  in  1,373 

Mean  error  of  elevation  per  circuit,  foot . . . . .  0. 167 


COST  OF  WORK. 

/ 

For  the  purpose  of  considering  the  cost  of  the  work  the  line  is 
divided  into  two  parts,  one  taking  in  Lake  Champlain  and  the  other 
that  part  of  the  line  between  Whitehall  and  Troy. 

The  cost  of  the  survey  includes  all  labor,  instruments,  supplies,  etc., 
connected  with  the  field  and  office  work  for  the  survey,  mapping,  plans, 
and  estimates  and  reduction  of  published  charts. 

The  cost  of  borings  includes  labor,  plant,  and  all  other  expenses 
connected  therewith,  except  the  cost  of  surveys  for  locating  them  and 
a  portion  of  the  assistant  engineer’s  salary  for  general  supervision. 

For  both  surveys  and  borings  all  plant  was  considered  as  sunk  when 
the  work  was  completed  and  its  cost  proportioned  to  the  various  routes 
on  which  it  was  used. 


Lake  Champlain. 

Length  of  line,  in  miles . . . . . 

Cost  of  surveys . . . . 

Cost  of  borings . . . . 

Linear  feet  of  borings . . . . 

Cost  per  foot . . . 

Cost  borings  per  mile. . 

Cost  surveys  per  mile . . . . 


36 

$5, 636. 00 
$2, 268. 00 
20, 169 

$0.1124 
$63. 00 
$156. 44 


Whitehall  to  Troy  dam. 


Length  of  line,  in  miles. . .  61. 5 

Cost  of  surveys . $21,106 

Cost  of  borings  . . . .  $4,  905 

Linear  feet  of  borings . .  37, 822 

Cost  per  foot  . .  . .  $0. 1297 

Cost  of  borings  per  mile .  $79. 76 

Cost  of  surveys  per  mile . $343. 19 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


373 


The  organization  was  somewhat  broken  and  the  cost  of  the  work 
increased  by  the  transfer  of  men  to  other  parties  and  filling  their 
places  with  new  men.  It  is  quite  evident  that  the  work  could  be  done 
more  cheaply  by  experienced  men  than  by  those  new  to  the  work. 

After  completing  all  field  work,  the  boring  parties,  axmen,  etc., 
were  discharged  and  a  force  of  ten  engineers  was  retained  to  complete 
the  maps  and  make  final  estimates.  They  reported  to  the  Detroit 
office  January  31,  1899,  for  this  work. 

LOCATION. 

The  location  of  the  channel  was  laid  down  on  the  topographic  maps 
by  your  honorable  Board.  For  the  purpose  of  discussing  the  plans, 
character  of  excavation,  etc.,  the  line  may  be  divided  as  follows: 

1.  Port  Henry  to  Whitehall,  which  includes  all  work  in  that  part 
of  Lake  Champlain. 

2.  Whitehall  to  Fort  Edward,  which  includes  all  work  across  the 
divide  between  Lake  Champlain  and  the  Hudson  River. 

3.  Fort  Edward  to  the  State  dam  at  Troy,  which  includes  all  work 
in  the  Hudson  River. 


PORT  HENRY  TO  WHITEHALL. 

In  designing  the  channel  and  determining  the  grades  of  same  through 
Lake  Champlain,  it  is  assumed  that  the  low- water  level  will  be  regu¬ 
lated  as  indicated  in  Appendix  No.  8,  at  elevation  100,  and  the  high 
water  will  never  be  more  than  102  feet  above  mean  tide  at  New  York. 
The  grade  of  the  30-foot  channel  would  then  be  at  elevation  70,  and 
•  of  the  21-foot,  channel  at  elevation  79,  and  both  level  throughout. 

To  near  Putnam  station,  station  1257,  the  proposed  width  is  600 
feet,  except  for  a  short  distance  at  Chipmans  Point,  where  it  narrows 
up  to  the  present  width  between  the  rock  bluffs  on  each  side  of  the 
lake.  From  Putnam  station  to  station  186-1  the  width  is  150  feet, 
except  at  the  “Narrows,”  where  it  is  about  250  feet  between  the  high 
rock  bluffs  on  each  side.  From  station  1861  to  Whitehall,  station 
1957,  it  is  300  feet  wide,  except  through  the  rock  cut  at  the  “  Elbow,” 
where  it  is  of  the  standard  canal  section.  The  above  widths  and  loca¬ 
tion  apply  to  both  the  30-foot  and  the  21-foot  channels. 

The  material  to  be  excavated  in  the  lake  is  silt,  sand,  and  rock  and 
is  classified  in  the  estimates  as  earth  and  rock.  Between  Port  Henry 
and  a  point  about  2  miles  south  of  Putnam  station  the  earth  is  mostly 
sand,  mixed  with  more  or  less  silt  and  mud,  but  from  this  point  to 
Whitehall  it  is  a  soft  silt  and  mud,  mixed  with  a  smallamount  of  sand, 
all  of  which  has  been  washed  into  the  lake  by  the  floods  of  South  Bay, 
Wood  Creek,  East  Bay,  and  other  small  streams. 

At  low  water  the  lake  is  a  narrow  stream  winding  through  a  low, 
flat  marsh  about  1,600  feet  wide,  with  an  average  elevation  of  95  feet; 
at  high  water  the  entire  marsh  is  flooded.  If  the  lake  is  regulated  at 
elevation  100,  this  marsh  would  then  be  under  5  feet  of  water.  It 


374 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


would  not  support  a  liigli  spoil  bank,  but  it  would  probably  be  safe 
to  assume  that  a  bank  5  to  6  feet  above  low  water  would  be  stable. 
All  of  the  earth  to  be  excavated  in  the  lake  can  be  easily  handled  with 
a  hydraulic  dredge;  and  if  this  method  is  adopted  for  doing  the  work, 
ample  spoil  area  requiring  a  maximum  lift  of  less  than  10  feet  above 
water  surface  is  available. 

The  earth  slopes  are  1  on  3  for  all  excavation  in  Lake  Champlain, 
while  they  are  estimated  as  1  on  2  on  all  other  parts  of  the  line. 

Rock  is  found  at.  the  following  points: 

At  station  570,  Larabees  Point,  Chipmans  Point,  and  station  1404, 
opposite  Cold  Spring,  small  quantities  of  rock  are  found  above  the 
grade  of  the  30-foot  channel,  but  it  is  all  below  the  grade  of  the  21- 
foot  channel.  The  rock  at  Larabees  Point  is  shale  or  slate,  and  at 
the  other  places  it  is  quartzite.  About  1  mile  north  of  Whitehall  is  a 
point  of  quartzite  rock  projecting  into  the  lake.  It  is  locally  known 
as  the  “Elbow,”  and  has  an  average  elevation  where  the  channel  cuts 
through  it  of  about  135,  and  the  length  of  the  cut  is  about  800  feet. 
A  part  of  this  rock  is  classified  as  wet  excavation,  but  most  of  it  is  dry 
excavation. 

Rock  is  also  encountered  in  the  harbor  at  Whitehall. 

WHITEHALL  TO  FORT  EDWARD. 

As  before  stated,  it  is  assumed  that  the  level  of  Lake  Champlain 
will  be  regulated  at  elevation  100.  Low  water  in  the  Hudson  River 
at  Fort  Edward,  where  the  canal  enters,  is  at  elevation  117.6  under 
present  conditions;  but  if  the  river  be  deepened  to  30  feet,  this  low 
water  would  be  only  slightly  higher  than  the  Fort  Miller  dam  (115.1), 
which  is  7.1  miles  downstream.  Two  and  seven-tenths  miles  below 
Fort  Miller  is  the  Northumberland  dam,  with  a  crest  elevation  of  102.5. 
The  low-water  level  of  the  pool  below  this  dam  is  about  85. 

The  divide  between  Lake  Champlain  and  the  Hudson  River  may  be 
crossed  in  either  of  two  ways: 

1.  By  locking  up  at  Whitehall  to  the  level  of  the  Hudson  River  and 
then  making  the  grade  of  the  channel  level  to  Fort  Miller. 

2.  By  making  a  through  cut  on  the  level  of  the  lake  channel  to  the 
Northumberland  dam. 

The  first  plan  would  involve  supplying  water  to  the  high  level  for 
lockage  at  Whitehall  and  at  Fort  Miller.  This  can  be  done  by  con¬ 
structing  a  system  of  reservoirs  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Hudson.  It 
would  also  involve  the  construction  of  two  additional  locks.  On  the 
other  hand  there  would  be  a  large  saving  in  the  quantity  of  excava¬ 
tion.  In  case  this  plan  be  adopted,  it  would  be  best  to  raise  the  crest 
of  the  dam  at  Fort  Miller  to  an  elevation  of  118,  which  would  reduce 
the  excavation  and  not  flood  the  valley  of  the  Hudson  at  high  water. 

The  second  plan  would  involve  a  greater  amount  of  excavation  for 
the  channel,  but  would  save  the  expense  of  providing  a  water  supply 
and  the  cost  of  two  locks.  In  this  case  the  water  for  lockage  would 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


375 


be  brought  from  the  St.  Lawrence  River  through  Lake  Champlain  and 
down  to  the  Hudson  River  on  a  continuous  down  grade,  requiring  but 
little  expense  over  the  cost  of  constructing  the  canal.  The  crest  of 
the  dam  at  Northumberland  would  be  cut  down  to  the  level  of  Lake 
Champlain — elevation  100.  Ships  would  be  saved  the  time  of  locking 
at  Whitehall  and  at  Fort  Miller. 

A  preliminary  estimate  indicates  that  the  cost  of  the  two  plans  is 
about  the  same;  and  since  the  second  plan  gives  a  more  certain  and 
unlimited  water  supply,  as  well  as  a  channel  that  can  be  more  quickly 
navigated,  it  was  decided  to  base  the  estimates  on  the  low-level  cut. 

The  alignment  is  shown  on  plates  51  and  52  and  is  the  same  for  both 
the  30-foot  and  21-foot  channels.  Rock  appears  above  grade  at  White¬ 
hall  for  a  distance  of  about  1,500  feet,  dips  below  grade  at  station  1972, 
and  appears  again  at  station  2290,  6.3  miles  south  of  Whitehall,  and 
continues  above  grade  to  station  2523,  just  south  of  Fort  Ann.  All 
of  this  rock  is  a  hard  quartzite,  irregularly  stratified,  and  dips  to  the 
east.  It  contains  many  vertical  cracks  or  seams  and  is  hard  to  drill, 
but  breaks  well  when  blasted.  Between  Fort  Ann  and  Fort  Edward 
rock  is  found  above  grade  in  several  places,  and  is  a  hard  shale  or 
slate  when  covered  with  earth  or  water,  but  breaks  up  into  flakes  and 
splinters  when  excavated  and  exposed  to  the  air  and  eventually 
becomes  a  clay  soil;  but  when  exposed  to  the  air  in  its  natural  bed, 
it  decidedly,  though  slowly,  disintegrates.  It  breaks  up  well  by 
blasting  and  is  easily  drilled. 

The  material  overlying  the  bed  rock  is  generally  soft  clay  mixed 
with  sand,  but  pockets  of  pure  sand  are  found  just  north  of  Fort  Ann 
and  between  Whitehall  and  Comstocks.  No  bowlders  are  found,  and 
but  very  little  gravel  mixed  with  the  earth.  In  fact,  it  is  good  material 
to  excavate  with  a  hydraulic  dredge,  though  the  lift  may  be  too  great 
in  the  deepest  cuttings  for  this  method. 

The  streams  crossed  are  Wood  Cieek,  Granville  River,  Halfway 
Creek,  and  Bond  Creek.  On  leaving  Lake  Champlain,  the  channel 
enters  the  valley  of  Wood  Creek,  which  is  a  sluggish  stream  winding 
through  a  low  valley,  and  follows  it  with  frequent  crossings  for  16.5 
miles  to  station  2830.  One-half  mile  north  of  this  point  it  should  be 
taken  into  the  canal.  Its  elevation  is  138  feet,  or  38  feet  above  the 
proposed  water  level. 

The  Granville  River  is  crossed  1.7  miles  south  of  Whitehall  and  is 
7  feet  above  the  canal.  Halfway  Creek  is  crossed  just  south  of  Fort 
Ann,  halfway  between  Whitehall  and  Fort  Edward,  and  is  28  feet 
above  the  canal. 

Separate  gaugings  of  these  streams  could  not  be  had,  but  they  all 
enter  the  lake  through  one  channel  and  have  a  combined  low-water 
flow  of  300  cubic  feet  per  second  and  a  high-water  flow  of  7,000  cubic 
feet  per  second.  These  streams  can  be  taken  into  the  canal  l>3r  letting 
them  down  over  a  dam  to  the  level  of  the  canal  and  constructing  a 
basin  of  sufficient  cross  section  to  let  them  enter  at  a  low  velocity. 


376 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


By  cutting  a  diversion  channel  about  1,200  feet  long  Wood  Creek 
can  be  taken  into  the  canal  on  a  solid  rock  foundation  at  station  2855. 

It  will  be  seen  on  plate  52  that  the  Champlain  Canal  enters  Wood 
Creek  at  Fort  Ann  and  the  two  streams  then  become  one  and  the  same 
to  station  2260,  a  distance  of  5.2  miles.  They  pass  through  the  nar¬ 
row  gorge  about  4  miles,  from  station  2300  to  station  2516,  and  it  is 
evident  that  the  canal  can  not  be  maintained  while  the  new  channel 
is  being  excavated  if  the  work  is  done  in  the  dry.  In  fact,  the  only 
way  to  do  this  part  of  the  work  in  the  dry  is  to  construct  a  dam  across 
the  head  of  the  gorge  and  excavate  a  channel  along  the  line  of  the 
canal  to  carry  the  waters  of  Halfway  Creek  and  Wood  Creek  to  the 
Hudson  River  at  Fort  Edward.  In  case  this  part  of  the  work  is  exca¬ 
vated  with  hydraulic  dredges,  these  streams  would  furnish  a  water 
supply  for  pumping.  There  are  also  several  small  streams  crossed 
on  this  reach  of  the  canal,  but  they  can  all  be  cared  for  at  small 
expense  and  need  not  be  considered  in  detail. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  change  the  alignment  of  the  Delaware  and 
Hudson  Canal  Company  Railroad  at  the  following  points: 


184“. 

2127. 

2337. 

2471). 

2525. 

2040. 


From  station — 


Total  . 


To  sta¬ 
tion — 

Dis¬ 

tance. 

Feet. 

11*11 

6, 400 

2191) 

6, 300 

23)32 

2, 500 

2507 

3.  700 

2557 

3,  200 

2730 

9,000 

a  31, 100 

a  Equals  5.7  miles. 


I 


Near  station  3110  it  is  proposed  to  build  a  guard  lock  and  by-pass 
to  serve  the  double  purpose  of  regulating  the  low-water  flow  from  the 
lake  to  the  Hudson  River  and  the  high-water  flow  from  the  river  to 
the  lake.  The  lock  could  be  located  at  any  point  near  the  Hudson, 
but  the  site  is  selected  on  account  of  affording  rock  foundation. 


FORT  EDWARD  TO  STATE  DAM  AT  TROY. 


This  part  of  the  canal  is  located  generally  in  the  bed  of  the  Hudson 
River,  but  makes  such  cut-offs  at  the  bends  as  are  necessary  to  give 
good  alignment  and  may  more  properly  be  called  canalized  river. 

It  involves  hydraulic  problems  somewhat  different  from  those  met 
with  on  the  other  parts  of  the  lines,  in  that  navigation  must  be  main¬ 
tained  during  the  times  of  extreme  low  and  extreme  high  water,  the 
range  of  which  is  great. 

For  the  purpose  of  showing  the  conditions  which  govern  the  high 
and  low  water  in  the  Hudson  River  a  tabulated  statement  is  given  of 
the  dams  existing  across  the  river,  together  with  the  distance  above 
the  State  dam  at  Troy,  the  average  elevation  of  crest,  and,  as  near  as 
can  be  ascertained,  the  elevation  of  high  and  low  water  at  several 
points. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


377 


Table  No.  11. 


fl 

- 

£ 

.d 

a 

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_be 

O 

be 

-P 

-4— ' 

o3 

rfl 

ri  i-< 

© 

cS 

a 

^  • 
®-s 

* 

<w 

<4-1 

fl 

©  o3 

2  & 

£ 

©T3 

Location. 

>> 

O 

EH 

© 

'd 

<4-1 

0 

A 

©  © 

© 

©<*_, 

beo 

ci 

be 

3 

<4-1 

c 

ition  c 

water 

ition  ( 

water 

Remarks. 

> 

o 

be 

fl 

© 

© 

> 

© 

-p 

c2 

> 

© 

> 

© 

bed 
fl  c8 
c3 

< 

W 

W 

« 

K 

Miles. 

Feet. 

State  dam  at  Troy 

0.0 

1, 100 

13.5 

Mar.  1,1896 

23.4 

14.2 

9.2 

High  water  caused 

by  ice  gorge;  dam 
submerged. 

Do  . 

1861 

28.4 

High  water  caused 
bv  ice  gorge.  Infor- 

mation  from  McEl- 
roy’s  notes. 

3  miles  above  Troy 
Do  . 

3.0 

1861 

30.0 

Do. 

3.0 

1894 

29.6 

15.4 

14.2 

High  water  caused 
by  ice  gorge.  Au- 

thority,  Waterford 
bridge  tender. 

4.9  miles  above 

4.9 

1894 

33.5 

16.8 

16.7 

High  water  caused 
bv  ice  gorge.  Au- 

Troy. 

9.0 

1869 

45.1 

31.6 

13.5 

thority-  Frank  W. 
Van  Fleck. 
Authority,  Mr.  Has- 
broock.  Mark  on 

9  miles  above  Troy 

willow  tree. 

Hudson  River 

9.4 

708 

48.0 

Apr.  19, 1896 

54.9 

48.9 

6.0 

High  water  com- 

Power  Trans¬ 
mission  Co.  ’s 

puted.  Dam  built 
1897-98.  Assumed 

dam. 

part  of  water  is 
passing  through 
sluices. 

The  Duncan  Co.’s 
dam. 

Just  below  Still- 

11.5 

794 

64.5 

. do . 

1850 

72.7 

83.9 

65.3 

76.8 

7.4 

7.1 

Authority,  The  Dun¬ 
can  Co.’s  gauge 
readings. 

Caused  by  ice  gorge. 
Authority,  McEl- 

water  dam. 

roy’s  notes. 

Stillwater  dam _ 

13.9 

820 

83.6 

Apr.  19.1896 

91.5 

84.0 

7.5 

High  water  com- 

puted.  Angular 
alignment  and  ir- 

regular  crest. 

0.7  miles  above 

14.6 

. do . 

93.2 

84.1 

9.1 

Authority.  Win.  To- 

Stillwater  dam. 

ban.  Stillwater,  N. 

0.15  miles  above 

14.05 

1844 

92.6 

1  . 

Caused  by  ice  gorge. 
Authority.  McEl 

Stillwater  dam. 

roy's  notes. 

2.7  miles  above 

16.6 

Apr.  19. 1896 

93.5 

84.1 

9.4 

Caused  by  ice  gorge. 
Authority.  W.  N. 

Stillwater  dam. 

Hill.BemisHeights. 
N.  Y. 

4.4  miles  above 

18.3 

. do . 

95.3 

84.2 

11.1 

Caused  by  ice  gorge. 
Authority,  Mrs.  Jo- 

Stillwater  dam. 

seph  Holmes,  Bemis 
Heights,  N.  Y. 

6.1  miles  above 

20.0 

Apr.  26,1895 

96.2 

84.2 

12.0 

Caused  by  ice  gorge. 
Authority. (4  A. En- 

Stillwater  dam. 

10.4  miles  above 

24.3 

1896 

98.3 

84.4 

13.9 

sign,  C.  E.  Mark, 
and  photograph. 
Nail  in  tree  by. 

Stillwater  dam. 
Schuyl  erville 
Bridge. 

26.3 

1896 

99.2 

84.6 

14.6 

Authorities,  Abra¬ 
ham  De  Riddle.east 

end  bridge:  F.  B. 
Pannock,  west  end 

bridge:  also,  photo¬ 
graph.  All  agree. 

State  dam  at 

28.1 

810 

102.5 

1896 

110.3 

103.8 

7.0 

.  High  water  com- 

N  ortbumberland 

puted.  Irregular 
crest  and  angle  in 

dam. 

Do . 

28.1 

111.2 

Authority,  McEl- 

roy’s  notes. 

0.4  miles  above 

28.5 

Apr.  19,1896 

112.2 

103.5 

8.7 

Authority,  Warner, 
C.  E.;  also,  photo- 

State  dam  at 
Northumber¬ 
land. 

graph  by  him. 

Do . 

28.  5 

111.4 

Authority,  McEl- 

roy’s  notes. 

378 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Table  No.  11 — Continued. 


Location. 


Just  above  Fort 
Miller  dam.  east 
side. 

Fort  Miller  dam.. 

1.6  miles  above 
Fort  Miller  dam. 

Do . 

2  miles  above  Fort 
Miller  dam. 

3.3  miles  above 
Fort  Miller  dam. 

5.5  miles  above 
Fort  Miller  dam. 


Do 


7.3  miles  above 
Fort  Miller  dam. 

East  end  Fort  Ed 
ward  railroad 
bridge. 

At  Glens  Falls 
Paper  mills. 

Glens  Falls  Pa¬ 
per  Co.'s  dam  at 
Fort  Edward. 


p 

EH 

< 

Miles. 

31.0 

31.0 

33.6 

32.6 
33.0 

34.3 


36. 5 


36. 5 


38.3 

38.5 


38.9 


39.0 


Length  above  dam. 

Average  elevation 
of  crest. 

Feet. 

710 

115.1 

. 

588 

140.3 

Date  of  high  water. 

Elevation  of  high 
water. 

Elevation  of  low 
water. 

Range  between  high 
and  low  water. 

122.6 

1896 

122. 5 

115. 9 

6.6 

1896 

127.0 

116.3 

10.7 

1869 

129.0 

116.3 

12.7 

131.2 

116. 5 

14.7 

1896 

127.9 

116.5 

11.4 

1896 

132.0 

116.9 

15.1 

1869 

135.0 

116.9 

18.1 

1896 

132.7 

117.6 

15.1 

134.8 

1896 

132.9 

120.0 

12.9 

Apr.  19,1896 

148. 56 

140.7 

7.86 

Remarks. 


Authority,  McEl- 
roy’s  notes. 

High  water  com¬ 
puted. 

Authority.  Marlow 
Dickinson.  Ap¬ 
proximate  mark. 

‘  Do. 

Authority,  McEl- 
roy’s  notes. 

Authority.  Seth  W. 
Bristol. 

Authority,  Geo.  P. 
Cook.  Correct 
within  a  tenth  or 
two. 

Authority.  Geo.  P. 
Cook.  Definite 
mark. 

Name  not  taken. 

Authority,  McEl- 
roy’s  notes. 

Authority,  superin¬ 
tendent  of  paper 
mills.  Definite. 

High  water  from  pa- 
per  company’s 
gauge  readings, 
Jan.l,  1896,  to  date 


Note  1.—  The  distances  are  measured  along  the  center  line  of  the  proposed  channel  from  the 
Troy  dam  to  Fort  Edward,  and  not  along  the  river  channel  as  it  now  exists. 

Note  2.— All  elevations  are  corrected  to  refer  to  Greenbush  bench  mark,  elevation  14.73  above 
mean  tide  at  New  York. 


It  is  evident  that  t lie  dams  control  the  elevation  of  the  high  water 
at  the  points  where  they  are  located,  and  the  elevation  at  other  points 
is  the  slope  in  the  river  from  these  points  to  the  dam  below,  plus  the 
depths  over  the  dams,  so  that  the  range  between  the  low  and  the 
high  water  is  greater  at  all  other  points  than  at  the  dams. 

Since  the  control  of  the  Hood  waters  is  an  important  factor  in 
designing  the  channel,  it  might  be  well  to  inquire  as  to  the  period 
that  such  data  cover.  Samuel  McElroy,  civil  engineer,  made  a 
survey  of  the  Hudson  River  from  Fort  Edward  to  Troy,  in  1866, 
for  the  State  of  New  York.  In  his  report,  dated  January  1,  1807,  he 
gave  the  elevation  of  the  high  and  low  waters  at  several  points,  and 
states  that  they  are  the  ‘"greatest  known  in  one  hundred  years.” 
II  owever,  many  of  them  must  be  eliminated  on  account  of  the 
changes  made  in  the  river  since  that  time.  New  dams  have  been 
built  and  the  crests  of  the  old  ones  have  been  changed,  so  that  the 
elevation  of  the  water  then  and  now  would  not  in  many  places  be  the 
same  for  a  given  volume  of  flow.  The  high  waters  noted  by  him  at 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


379 


Scliuylerville,  Crockers  Reefs,  and  Fort  Edward  would  probably  be 
about  the  same  now  for  the  same  volume  of  flow.  Since  this  survey 
was  made  two  notable  high  waters  have  occurred — April,  1869,  and 
April  19,  1896 — the  former  being  from  1^-  to  3  feet  higher  than  the 
latter.  The  high-water  marks  given  by  Mr.  McElroy  are  lower  than 
those  of  1869  and  higher  than  those  of  1896.  It  is  probably  safe  to 
say  that  these  records  cover  a  period  of  at  least  sixty  years. 

The  high  waters  in  the  vicinity  of  Troy  have  been  caused  by  ice 
gorges  below  the  State  dam,  and  do  not,  therefore,  represent  normal 
conditions.  These  floods  rise  rapidly  in  two  to  three  days,  and  recede 
in  about  the  same  time. 

The  normal  low- water  flow  and  low- water  level  are  difficult  to  deter¬ 
mine  under  present  conditions.  Water  wheels  are  installed  at  the 
dams  with  a  much  greater  capacity  than  the  low-water  flow  of  the 
river,  and  as  a  result  the  water  in  the  pools  above  the  dams  is  fre¬ 
quently  drawn  down  from  1  to  2  feet  below  the  crest  of  the  dam.  If 
the  wheels  stop  at  such  times,  there  will  be  no  flow  below  the  dam 
until  the  pool  above  is  filled  to  a  level  above  the  crest,  thus  giving  a 
period  of  no  flow  in  the  river  at  that  point,  and  if  t lie  wheels  start  up 
again  the  flow  will  be  greater  than  the  normal  supply  to  the  river. 

Under  these  conditions  the  low-water  level  may  vary  2  feet  or  more 
while  the  normal  supply  remains  constant.  Taking  the  list  of  dams 
given  in  the  above  table  and  also  the  several  dams  above  Fort  Edward, 
it  will  be  seen  how  difficult  it  would  be  to  select  a  time  for  making 
measurements  when  the  river  was  discharging  its  normal  low-water 
volume  at  any  given  point. 

However,  it  is  not  important  for  the  purposes  of  this  report  to  know 
the  exact  low-water  flow  except  that  it  shows  there  will  be  little  or  no 
slope  in  the  proposed  channel  at  low-water  stages.  There  would  be 
a  very  flat  slope  when  the  discharge  is  double  the  extreme  low-water 
flow.  This  condition  fixes  the  grade  of  the  proposed  channel  as  level 
from  one  dam  to  another  to  give  the  required  low-water  depth 
throughout. 

For  the  flood  stages  of  the  river  it  is  assumed  that  the  mean  veloc¬ 
ity  should  not  exceed  4  feet  per  second  to  afford  safe  navigation  and 
protection  to  the  banks  of  the  channel.  It  is  also  desirable  to  limit 
at  all  points  the  fluctuations  between  low  and  high  waters  to  a  mini¬ 
mum.  Starting  with  a  low- water  level  at  Northumberland  and  enter¬ 
ing  the  river  below  the  Troy  dam  at  tide  level,  there  is  a  difference  of 
level  of  100  feet  to.be  overcome  by  locks  and  dams. 

If  the  present  dams  can  be  maintained  at  their  present  elevations, 
it  is  evident  that  the  industries  depending  on  the  power  at  the  dam 
sites  will  be  disturbed  the  least  possible  amount.  Fortunately  the 
locations  and  elevations  of  the  dams  are  such  that  this  general  plan 
can  be  followed  except  for  the  one  at  Fort  Miller. 

This  must  be  entirely  taken  out  in  order  to  carry  the  level  of  Lake 
Champlain  to  Northumberland,  where  the  first  dam  and  lock  would 


380 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


be  put  in  after  leaving  the  lake.  At  each  of  the  dams  below  this  point 
it  is  proposed  to  have  a  lock  and  to  maintain  dams  at  about  the  pres¬ 
ent  elevation.  It  is  desirable  to  build  dams  with  as  great  a  length  of 
crest  as  possible,  so  as  to  limit  the  range  between  low  and  high  waters 
in  the  levels  above  them. 

The  cross  section  of  the  proposed  waterway  must  be  of  a  size  to  not 
only  afford  good  navigation,  but  to  carry  the  flood  waters  with  a  mean 
velocity  not  greater  than  4  feet  per  second,  or  2.73  miles  per  hour. 
According  to  Table  No.  11,  the  flood  of  1869  is  the  greatest  recorded, 
and  is  such  as  may  not  occur  oftener  than  once  or  twice  in  a  century, 
and  it  would  be  better  to  let  the  current  exceed  this  velocity  when  it 
occurs  than  to  enlarge  the  channel.  The  flood  of  1896  is  such  as  may 
occur,  say,  once  in  fifteen  years,  and  the  channel  should  be  designed 
to  take  care  of  it  without  damage  to  the  banks  or  to  navigation. 

The  Duncan  Company  has  gauge  readings  of  the  depth  of  water 
over  the  crest  of  its  dam  from  1886  to  date,  and  the  Glens  Falls  Paper 
Company  has  readings  from  January,  1896,  to  date.  They  show  that 
the  ordinary  spring  flood  is  about  50  per  cent  of  the  maximum  floods; 
also  that  the  maximum  floods  do  not  remain  above  the  ordinary  for  a 
period  of  more  than  from  four  to  six  days  and  are  not  at  the  extreme 
stage  longer  than  from  one  to  two  days. 

The  above  data  give  the  height  of  the  water  at  various  points,  but 
it  is  also  important  to  know  the  volume  of  flow  in  order  to  determine 
the  height  to  which  it  would  rise  on  the  new  dams,  the  slope  in  the 
channel,  and  the  velocity  of  the  current.  For  this  purpose  the  flood 
of  April,  1896,  will  be  taken  as  one  which  the  channel  should  carry 
with  a  mean  velocity  not  exceeding  4  feet  per  second,  and  for  any 
flood  greater  than  this  the  velocity  would  be  allowed  to  increase.  It 
would  obviously  be  better  to  repair  any  damage  done  and  to  suffer 
any  delay  to  navigation  than  to  make  the  expenditure  for  construct¬ 
ing  a  channel  of  the  required  larger  dimensions,  especially  as  the  only 
damage  that  may  be  done  will  be  to  delay  navigation  for  from  two  to 
four  days.  The  evidence  points  to  the  conclusion  that  there  has 
occurred  only  one  flood  in  the  past  one  hundred  years  as  large  as  that 
of  1869. 

From  the  gauge  readings  on  the  dams  at  Fort  Edward  and  at 
Mechanicville  the  volume  of  flow  may  be  computed  for  April  19, 
1896.  The  crest  of  the  former  dam  is  588  feet  long  and  the  depth  of 
water  over  it  was  8.16  feet,  while  the  crest  of  the  latter  dam  is  794 
feet  long  and  the  water  over  it  was  8.33  feet. 

The  usual  formula  for  computing  the  flow  over  dams  or  weirs  is  that- 
deduced  from  the  Lowell  experiments  by  James  B.  Francis,  and  is — 
Q  =  C  L  li  §  in  which, 

Q  =  discharge  in  cubic  feet  per  second. 

L  =  length  of  dam  in  feet. 
h  =  depth  of  water  over  dam. 

C  =  a  coefficient. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


881 


The  value  of  C  varies  through  a  wide  range  for  different  depths  of 
water  and  for  different  cross  sections  of  the  dam  or  weir  used.  Most 
experiments  have  been  with  small  volumes  of  water  and  with  a  depth 
over  the  weir  of  less  than  2  feet.  The  most  complete  experiments  of 
this  character  were  made  by  the  eminent  French  engineer,  M.  Bazin. 
These  experiments  were  extended  with  large  volumes  of  water  and 
depth  over  the  crest  as  great  as  6  feet,  under  the  direction  of  your 
honorable  Board  at  the  Cornell  Hydraulic  Laboratory,  and  are  fully 
reported  on  in  Appendix  No.  16.  While  none  of  the  forms  used  have 
exactly  the  same  cross  section  as  the  Fort  Edward  dam,  Cornell  experi¬ 
ment  No.  6  comes  the  nearest  to  it  and  gives  3.63  as  the  value  of  C  for 
a  depth  of  6  feet.  Taking  into  account  the  roughness  of  the  structure, 
it  would  be  conservative  to  take  C  =  3.5  for  a  depth  of  8.16  feet  on 
the  Fort  Edward  dam,  which  would  give  a  discharge  of  47,700  cubic 
feet  per  second  on  April  19,  1896. 

The  section  of  dam  used  in  Cornell  experiment  No.  18  is  the  same 
as  the  Duncan  Company’s  dam  at  Mechanicville,  except  the  latter 
has  an  apron  on  the  downstream  side,  which  would  have  the  effect, 
if  any,  of  increasing  the  value  of  C.  In  this  experiment  3.44  was 
obtained  as  the  value  of  C  for  a  depth  of  water  of  6  feet. 

Using  this  coefficient  for  a  depth  of  8.33  feet  on  the  Duncan  dam, 
we  get  a  discharge  of  65,800  cubic  feet  per  second  for  April  19,  1896. 

Having  fixed  the  volume  of  flow  at  these  two  points,  it  then  becomes 
necessary  to  determine,  as  near  as  may  be,  the  flow  at  the  proposed 
location  of  other  dams,  to  compute  the  flood  heights  over  their  crests, 
and  the  slopes  and  velocities  in  the  new  channel  when  constructed. 
Between  Fort  Edward  and  Northumberland,  Moses  Kill  and  Snook 
Kill  enter  the  Hudson,  and  the  additional  watershed  will  furnish  also 
a  small  amount  of  water.  The  flow  at  Northumberland  is  taken  as 
49,000  cubic  feet  per  second.  Batten  Kill,  Fish  Creek,  and  other 
small  streams  are  assumed  to  increase  this  to  52,000  at  Stillwater. 
Just  below  Stillwater  the  Iloosick  River  enters  and  increases  the  flow 
to  65,800  at  the  Duncan  dam.  The  distribution  of  this  increased  flow 
is  probably  not  correct,  but  it  is  near  enough  to  the  truth  for  the 
purpose  of  this  report.  No  other  important  streams  enter  the  Hudson 
until  the  Mohawk  is  reached  just  above  Troy. 

In  fixing  the  size  of  the  cross  sections  it  was  assumed  that  17,000 
cubic  feet  per  second  would  be  turned  toward  Lake  Champlain  through 
the  by-pass  at  the  Fort  Edward  guard  lock.  In  this  way  the  volume 
to  be  provided  for  just  below  Fort  Edward  is  reduced  to  32,000  cubic 
feet  per  second,  and  at  the  other  points  mentioned  by  a  like  amount. 
It  would  probably  not  be  necessary  to  pass  the  full  17,000  cubic  feet 
per  second  toward  Lake  Champlain  for  more  than  one  day,  and  three 
days  would  likely  be  the  longest  period  that  it  would  be  necessary  to 
divert  any  flow  in  that  direction  during  any  one  flood.  Table  No.  12 
shows  the  location,  elevation,  and  length  of  crest  of  the  proposed 
dams,  together  with  the  regulated  high-water  discharge  and  the  eleva- 


382 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


tions  of  high  water  above  and  below  the  dams  as  they  will  occur  after 
the  channel  is  constructed.  The  new  dams  are  to  be  of  the  ogee  sec¬ 
tion,  and  4  feet  is  taken  as  the  value  of  C  when  the  depths  are  6  for 
computing  the  discharge  over  them. 

Bazin’s  experiment  No.  193  gives  C  4.55  for  a  head  of  1.26  feet  on 
this  form  of  dam.  Cornell  experiment  No.  19  gives  C  =  3.675  for  a 
head  of  6  feet,  but  this  is  not  the  ogee  form.  For  computing  the 
flood  depths  over  crest,  C=  4.01  is  used.  In  computing  the  slopes  and 
velocities  in  the  channel,  the  formula  V  =  G  \]rs  is  used.  Cisderived 
from  Kutter’s  formula  by  assigning  a  value  of  0.30  to  n. 

Dam  No.  1. — Located  at  Northumberland.  The  old  dam  is  to  be 
taken  out  and  replaced  by  a  concrete  dam  of  the  ogee  section. 

Dam  No.  2. — Located  at  Stillwater,  and  is  to  be  of  concrete  and 
ogee  section. 

Dam  No.  3. — The  Duncan  Company’s  dam  at  Mechanicville.  It  is 
to  be  lengthened  from  794  feet  to  860  feet,  but  otherwise  unchanged. 

Dam  No.  If. — The  Hudson  River  Power  Transmission  Company’s 
dam,  2  miles  below  Mechanicville.  It  is  of  the  ogee  section,  708  feet 
long,  and  built  in  1897.  It  is  to  remain  unchanged.  Under  the  flood 
heads  about  14,000  cubic  foot-seconds  flow  through  the  16  sluices 
and  the  water  wheels,  leaving  51,800  cubic  foot-seconds  to  flow  over 
the  crest  of  the  dam. 

Dam  No.  5. — Located  1  mile  above  Waterford,  and  is  to  be  a  new 
dam  of  the  ogee  section. 

Dam  No.  6. — The  State  dam  at  Troy,  which  has  an  elevation  of 
13.5,  but  the  low- water  level  is  raised  to  15  by  the  use  of  flash  boards. 
No  changes  are  required  in  it. 


Table  No.  12. — Dams. 

CHAMPLAIN  ROUTE,  HUDSON  RIVER  DIVISION. 
[Thirty-foot  channel.] 


Dam 

No. 

Loca¬ 

tion 

sta¬ 

tion. 

Crest. 

Elevation  of  water  sur¬ 
faces. 

Estimated 

discharge, 

Length. 

Eleva- 

Above  dam. 

Below  dam. 

cubic  feet 
per  sec- 

Remarks. 

tion. 

High. 

Low. 

High. 

Low. 

ond. 

1 . 

3720 

800 

100 

104.6 

100 

90.4 

85 

32, 000 

O 

4473 

900 

85 

89.6 

85 

71.6 

65 

35, 000 

3 _ 

4.582 

860 

65 

71.5 

65 

53.6 

48 

48, 800 

4.... 

4710 

708 

48 

53. 3 

48 

35. 9 

30 

34,800 

14,000  through  sluices  and 

5 . 

4920 

1,000 

30 

35. 3 

30 

a23. 3 

15 

48,800 

turbines. 

6 . 

5208 

1, 100 

15 

22.5 

15 

0 

High  water  estimated. 

a  The  high-water  elevations  given  at  dams  Nos.  2  and  5  are  below  the  locks,  instead  of  immedi¬ 
ately  below  the  dam. 

Note.— Elevation  high-water  station  3197=106.9. 


The  observed  high  waters  which  have  occurred  at  Troy  have  been 
caused  by  ice  gorges  below  the  dam,  and  the  high  waters  which  have 
occurred  independent  of  ice  gorges  are  affected  by  the  backwater,  so 
that  no  reliable  data  exist  from  which  to  compute  the  flood  discharge 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


383 


of  the  river  at  this  point.  If  the  channel  is  deepened,  below  the  dam 
to  30  feet  and  300  feet  wide,  it  is  not  probable  that  these  gorges  will 
occur,  and,  in  addition  to  this,  the  height  of  the  backwater  will  be 
reduced.  The  flood  of  1896  gave  a  depth  of  9.9  feet  over  the  crest  of 
the  dam.  It  is  probable  that  this  would  not  be  greater  than  9  feet 
under  the  new  conditions,  giving  an  elevation  of  22.5  feet  when  the 
dashboards  are  down.  This  is  the  elevation  assumed  in  the  above 
table. 

Locks  are  located  near  each  of  the  above  dams.  They  are  all  single 
locks  of  the  standard  design,  with  rock  foundations.  The  locations 
of  the  locks  and  also  of  the  dams  are  the  same  for  both  21-foot  and 
30-foot  channels.  Continuing  the  numbering  as  brought  from  Lake 
Ontario  down  the  St.  Lawrence  River  and  to  Lake  Champlain,  the  first 
one  on  this  division  would  be  No.  6.  The  numbers  continue  succes¬ 
sively  downstream. 

Table  No.  13  gives  a  statement  of  the  locks  to  be  built. 

Table  No.  13 .—Locks. 


No. 

Station.a 

Length 
of  level 
above,  in 
miles. 

Elevati( 
water  s 

Above. 

>n,  low- 
urface. 

Below. 

Lift. 

Remarks. 

6 . . 

3112 

127.4 

100 

100 

Guard  lock  at  Fort  Edward. 

7 . . . 

3727 

11.5 

100 

85 

i5 

At  Northumberland. 

8 . . 

4488 

14.4 

85 

65 

20 

At  Stillwater. 

9 .  . 

4585 

1. 75 

65 

48 

17 

Just  above  Mechanic ville. 

10 . 

4722 

2.43 

48 

30 

18 

2  miles  below  Mechanicville. 

11 . 

4999 

3.72 

30 

15 

15 

1  mile  above  Waterford. 

12 . 

5215 

4.09 

15 

0 

b  15 

At  Troy  dam. 

COST,  c 


Lock  No. 

Thirty-foot  jTwenty-one- 
channel.  foot  channel. 

Operating 

machinery. 

6 . 

$777, 799 
1,1X12,988 
1,054,289 
1,024, 458 
1,041,229 
976,  674 
1,001,658 

$453, 1 16 
632, 554 
660, 829 
046. 329 
656. 329 
617,229 
630, 629 

$100, 000 
100,000 
100,000 
100,000 
100, 000 
100,000 
100, 000 

7 . . . . . . . . . . 

8 . 

9  ...  . 

10.::;.:::..;::;:::::;;:.;:;;: _ :::::: . 

ii . 

12  . 

Total . 

6,879,095 

700,000 

4,297,015 

700,000 

700, 000 

Operating  machinery _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Total . . . 

7,579,095 

4,997,015 

a  The  stationing  given  above  is  at  the  middle  of  the  lock.  Water  power  for  driving  the  oper¬ 
ating  machinery  can  be  developed  at  the  site  of  each  dam. 
b  The  lift  of  this  lock  was  made  15  feet  to  provide  for  a  minimum  low  water, 
c  The  cost  is  for  the  lock  structure  complete,  except  excavation. 


The  grades  of  the  21-foot  and  30-foot  channels  are,  respectively,  21 
feet  and  30  feet  below  the  water  surface  given  in  the  above  table. 

ALTERNATE  PLAN. 

While  the  tabulated  estimates  in  this  report  are  based  on  fixed 
dams  with  height  of  crest  the  same  as  that  of  the  proposed  low-water 
level,  a  part  of  the  line  could  be  treated  in  a  different  way  at  a  great 


384 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


saving  in  cost  of  construction.  The  elevation  of  the  Troy  dam  at 
present  is  13.5,  and  the  low- water  level  is  raised  to  15  by  the  use  of 
dashboards. 

By  substituting  for  them  a  movable  form  of  dam  this  could  be 
increased  to  18  feet  without  injury  to  any  existing  industries  along 
the  river.  At  times  of  high  water  the  movable  part  of  the  dam  could 
be  lowered  so  as  to  keep  the  flood  stage  at  or  below  the  present  high- 
water  level.  This  would  require  3  feet  less  cutting  back  to  lock 
No.  11.  Similarly,  dam  No.  5  could  be  raised  4  feet,  dam  No.  4,  4  feet, 
and  dam  No.  3,  5  feet  without  decreasing  the  head  now  existing  at 
each  of  them.  In  fact,  the  available  head  would  be  greater  than  at 
present.  In  addition  to  this,  the  fixed  crest  could  be  placed  lower 
than  at  present,  and  thus  decrease  the  higli-water  level.  Dam  No.  2 
could  not  be  raised  without  decreasing  the  head  at  dam  No.  1.  Dam 
No.  1  could  not  be  raised,  for  the  reason  that  its  level  is  fixed  with 
reference  to  the  level  of  Lake  Champlain;  and  the  guard  locks  at  Fort 
Edward  could  not  be  used  to  hold  the  waters  back,  since  the  supply 
is  needed  from  Lake  Champlain  for  lockage.  However,  it  may  appear 
cheaper  to  raise  dam  No.  2  and  pay  the  damage  due  to  the  decreased 
head  at  dam  No.  1. 

To  raise  dams  Nos.  3,  4,  5,  and  6  as  indicated  above  would  make  a 
saving  for  the  30-foot  channel  of  approximately  $5,230,000  in  exca¬ 
vation  and  lock  and  retaining-wall  construction.  From  this  must  be 
deducted  the  increased  cost  of  constructing  the  dams,  $40,000,  making 
a  net  saving  of  $5,190,000.  For  the  21-foot  channel  the  net  saving 
would  be  $4,774,000,  less  $40,000,  equals  $4,734,000. 

These  changes  would  also  change  the  lifts  of  locks  Nos.  8,  9,  10,  11, 
and  12  for  both  the  30-foot  and  the  21-foot  channels,  shown  in  the 
following  table: 


Table  No.  14. — Locks  for  alternate  plan. 


Lock  No. 

Station 

loca¬ 

tion. 

Elevation  of  low 
water 

Lift  of 
lock. 

Remarks. 

Above. 

Below. 

8 . 

4486 

85 

70 

15 

At  Stillwater. 

4585 

70 

52 

18 

Just  above  Mechanicville. 

ID . 

4722 

52 

34 

18 

2  miles  below  Mechanicville. 

11 . 

4999 

54 

18 

16 

1  mile  above  Waterford. 

12 . . . 

5215 

18 

00 

18 

At  Troy  dam. 

If  dam  No.  2  be  raised  3  feet,  the  lift  of  lock  No.  7  would  be  changed 
from  15  to  12  feet  and  lock  No.  8  from  15  to  18  feet.  The  net  saving, 
exclusive  of  damage  to  water  power,  would  be  $6,837,000,  minus  the 
increase  in  cost  of  dams,  for  the  30-foot  channel,  and  $6,072,000,  minus 
the  increase  in  cost  of  dams,  for  the  21 -foot  channel. 

This  alternate  plan  seems  worthy  of  consideration. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


385 


STABILITY  OF  THE  CHANNEL. 

The  upper  Hudson  does  not  carry  a  large  amount  of  sediment,  and 
there  is  but  little  evidence  of  caving  banks  or  “silting  up.”  A  com¬ 
parison  of  the  profiles  made  from  the  survey  of  Mr.  McElroy  in  1866 
with  those  made  from  the  survey  in  1898  (thirty-two  years  later) 
shows  that  there  have  been  only  slight  changes  in  the  bed  of  the 
stream  in  that  time,  although  there  have  occurred  in  this  interval  the 
extreme  high  waters  of  1869  and  1896.  Since  the  high-water  slope 
and  the  velocity  of  the  currents  will  be  less  in  the  new  channel  than 
in  the  present  river,  we  may  safely  conclude  that  the  channel  will  be 
stable  and  require  but  little  excavation  to  maintain  the  navigable 
depth. 

The  material  to  be  excavated  is  classified  under  the  heads  of  rock 
and  earth,  there  being  no  hardpan  on  this  line.  The  rock  is  a  slate 
or  shale,  in  irregular  layers  which  dip  sharply  to  the  east,  firm  and 
hard  when  in  its  original  bed,  but  disintegrates  rapidly  when  broken 
up  and  exposed  to  the  air.  It  is  more  easily  drilled  than  limestone, 
and  breaks  up  readily  under  the  blast.  The  earth  from  Northumber¬ 
land  to  Stillwater,  a  distance  of  14  miles,  is  an  alluvial  deposit  com¬ 
posed  principally  of  soft  clay  and  sand,  while  that  on  the  rest  of  the 
line  is  somewhat  harder,  but  composed  of  the  same  materials.  All  of 
it  can  be  easily  excavated  with  hydraulic  dredges.  -  For  the  entire 
length  of  the  line  from  Port  Henry  to  Troy  there  is  no  hardpan  and 
very  little  gravel  or  bowlders,  making  the  earth  of  a  class  that  is  easy 
to  excavate. 

The  estimate  of  quantities  of  excavation  is  based  on  the  standard 
sections  of  channel  adopted  by  your  honorable  Board,  except  for  Lake 
Champlain,  where  the  side  slopes  are  made  1  on  3  instead  of  1  on  2, 
as  in  other  cases,  on  account  of  the  soft  material  through  which  the 
cut  is  made. 

As  already  stated,  the  widths  of  channel  adopted  are:  From  Port 
Henry  to  Putnam  station,  600  feet;  from  Putnam  station  to  1  mile 
north  of  Whitehall,  450  feet;  from  1  mile  north  of  Whitehall  to 
Whitehall,  300  feet,  except  in  the  cut  through  the  “Elbow,”  where  it 
is  of  standard  canal  section;  in  Whitehall  from  station  1957 to  station 
1971  is  200  feet  wide;  from  Whitehall  to  t lie  Hudson  River  at  Fort 
Edward,  standard  canal  section;  from  Fort  Edward  to  Northumber¬ 
land  the  30-foot  channel  is  of  the  standard  canal  section,  but  the  21-foot 
channel  is  made  300  feet  wide  to  carry  the  flood  waters  of  the  river; 
from  Northumberland  to  Troy  both  channels  are  made  300  feet  wide. 

BRIDGES. 

Tables  Nos.  15  and  16  give  certain  data  in  regard  to  the  bridges 
now  existing  across  Lake  Champlain  and  the  Hudson  River;  also  the 
railway  and  highway  crossings  which  are  encountered  between  White¬ 
hall  and  Fort  Edward. 


H.  Doc.  149 - 25 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


386 


Table  No.  15. — Existing  bridges,  Champlain  route,  Hudson  River  division. 


Location. 

CM 

0 

«w 

O 

rP 

+->  . 
hft  © 

rP 

. 

H-5  <D 

CM 

O 

CO 

.  GO 

otal  len 

of  bridg 

otal  wi 

of  bridg 

levation 

floor. 

Place. 

Sta-  1 
tions. 

Kind 
of  bridge. 

Fixed  or 
swing. 

<D  o 

&  P 

Sis 

p 

®  2 
■gp. 

a « 

p 

Remarks. 

£ 

£ 

E-i 

E-i 

H 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Addison  Junc¬ 
tion. 

i  S3 

Railroad  .... 

Swing.. 

i 

i 

300 

107.5 

Pontoon  draw.  Pile 

trestle  2,270  feet 
long.  Used  by  Rut¬ 
land  R.  R. 

fW  ooden  Howe 

Whitehall _ 

1958 

Highway  ... 

Fixed  .. 

2 

200 

27 

JR.  122. 3 
\L.  135.0 

1  trusses.  Crosses 

1  Wood  Creek  and 

(  Champlain  Canal. 

Do . 

1963 

Footbridge  . 

_ do.  . 

9 

180 

12 

135 

Iron  truss  bridge 

over  Wood  Creek 
and  Champlain  Ca¬ 
nal. 

Do 

1967 

Highway _ 

_ do _ 

3 

285 

28 

132 

Iron  bowstring 
trusses.  Crosses 

Wood  Creek  and 
Champlain  Canal. 

Do  .. 

1987 

. do . 

_ do _ 

1 

140 

20 

123 

Wooden  Howe 

trusses.  Crosses 
Wood  Creek. 

Do 

1994 

Railroad _ 

_ do _ 

i 

1 

150 

125 

Pratt  truss  bridge 

over  Wood  Creek. 
Used  by  Rutland 
Branch,  Delaware 
and  Hudson  R  R. 

Northumber¬ 

land. 

3705 

Highway _ 

do  _ . 

11 

577 

19 

W  ooden  bridge 
owned  by  State  and 

used  as  change 
bridge  for  canal. 

Do 

3737 

Electric 

_ do ... 

i 

17 

800 

Bridge  and  railway 
in  process  of  erec- 

railroad. 

tion. 

Clarks  Mills  . . 

3756 

Highway  ... 

_ do ... 

3 

450 

16 

86 

Riveted  Warren 

truss  steel  bridge. 
This  bridge  will  not 

be  interfered  with 
by  proposed  canal. 

Schuylerville. 

3821 

_ do . 

_ do _ 

14 

814 

19 

96.0 

Wooden  Howe 

trusses  on  piers  of 
small  stone.  Is  a 
toll  bridge,  owned 
by  private  com¬ 
pany. 

Stillwater - 

4466 

. do . . 

...do _ 

9 

616 

20.5 

96. 0 

8  bowstring  iron 
spans  and  1  Pratt 

truss  span.  Toll 
bridge  owned  by 

private  company. 
Not  interfered 
with  by  proposed 
canal. 

Mechanieville . 

4554 

Railroad  . . . 

_ do . 

2 

10 

1,257 

20 

118.5 

9  iron  combination 

Pratt  &  Warren 
truss  spans  and  1 

plate  girder  span. 
Used  by  Fitchburg 

R.  R  Good  cut 

stone  piers.  Bridge 
of  old  tvpe. 

Do . 

4618 

Highway _ 

_ do _ 

3 

524 

27.5 

60. 5 

Iron  Warren  truss 

spans.  Toll  bridge 
owned  by  private 

company. 

Waterford _ 

5051 

High  wa  y 

_ do . . . 

‘> 

3 

798 

31 

37.4 

W ooden  arched  truss 

and  elec- 

bridge,  built  in 

trie  rail- 

1803.  Toll  bridge 

road. 

owned  by  private 

Lansingburg  . 

5116 

. do . 

Swing.. 

2 

5 

822 

37 

39.3 

Draw  span  129  feet 

long  C.  to  C.  end 
pins.  3  through 
Warren  trusses. 
Toll  bridge  owned 
by  private  com- 

pany. 

DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


387 


Table  No.  16. — Existing  highway  crossings,  Champlain  route,  Hudson  River 

division. 


Station. 

Place. 

Remarks. 

2237 . 

Not  much  traveled. 

Of  considerable  importance. 

Do. 

Important  crossing. 

Not  very  much  used. 
Important. 

Not  much  used. 

Do. 

Do. 

Important. 

Do. 

Considerably  used. 

Do. 

Important. 

2302 . 

2345 . 

Comstocks  P.  O . 

2467 . 

Flat  Rock _ _ 

2553 . 

2640 . 

Fort  Ann. . . . . . . 

2761 . 

Smiths  Basin 

2872 . 

2907 . 

2940 . 

3002... 

Dunhams  Basin . . 

3137 . 

Fort  Edward . . . . . . 

3166 _ 

3179 . 

_ do . . . 

. do . . . 

3187 . 

. do . . 

Some  of  these  highway  crossings  may  be  consolidated  without  mate¬ 
rial  injury  to  the  traveling  public,  which  would  be  through  an  agree¬ 
ment  with  the  parties  interested.  At  the  present  time  an  electric 
railway  is  being  built  along  the  valley  of  the  Hudson  River  from 
Stillwater  to  Northumberland,  where  it  crosses  the  river  below  the 
State  dam.  This  railway  can  be  taken  across  the  canal  on  the  bridge 
to  be  built  at  station  3756.  For  the  purpose  of  determining  the  num¬ 
ber  and  character  of  bridges  which  must  be  built  or  reconstructed  it 
is  assumed  that  they  will  be  needed  at  the  locations  given  in  Table 
No.  17. 


Table  No.  17. — Location,  cost,  etc.,  of  proposed  bridges,  Hudson  River  division, 
,  Champlain  route. 


Sta¬ 

tion. 

Location. 

Kind  of  bridge. 

Num¬ 
ber  of 
tracks. 

Swing 
or  fixed. 

Num¬ 
ber  of 
spans. 

Addison  June- 

Railway _ 

1 

Swing.. 

_ do _ 

4 

1968 

tion. 

Whitehall . 

Highway . 

i 

1987 

. do . 

_ do . 

_ do . 

i 

1994 

_ do  . . 

Railway _ 

1 

_ do _ 

i 

2299 

Comstocks _ 

Highway . 

_ do . . . 

i 

2467 

Flat  Rock . 

_ do . . 

_ do . . 

i 

2553 

Fort  Ann . 

. do . 

. . .  do . .  _ 

i 

2646 

. do . 

...  do . . 

i 

2762 

Smiths  Basin . 

. do . 

_ do . . 

i 

2857 

. do . 

_ do . . . 

i 

3(KX> 

Dunhams  Ba- 

. do _ 

_ do _ 

i 

3112 

sin. 

Fort  Edward  . 

. do . 

_ do . . . 

i 

3180 

. do . 

_ _  do . 

_ do . . 

i 

3757 

Clarks  Mills  .. 

Highway  and 
electric  rail- 

1 

_ do ... 

i 

Stillwater  . 

way. 

Highway . 

. .  .do . 

i 

4554 

Mechanic  ville 

Railway _ 

2 

i 

4618 

.do . 

Highway  .... 

....do 

i 

4721 

_ ~do  .  . 

_ do . . . 

i 

5051 

Waterford.... 

Highway  and 
electric  rail- 

2 

— do ... 

i 

5116 

Troy  (Twelth 
street). 
Clarks  Mills  .. 

way. 

. do . 

2 

_ do . . 

*> 

3757 

Highway  and 
electric  rail- 

i 

Fixed  .. 

3 

way. a 

Total  cost. 

Thirty-foot 

channel. 

Twenty -one-foot 
channel. 

Total 

length. 

Esti¬ 

mated 

cost. 

Total 

length. 

Esti¬ 

mated 

cost. 

9771 

$174, 676 

957* 

$174,676 

475 

50,002 

475 

50,000 

545 

105, 430 

525 

89, 604 

537) 

161, 810 

517* 

133, 496 

545 

73, 338 

525 

71.894 

603 

75,  456 

579 

70,218 

545 

112,882 

525 

96, 186 

545 

88,264 

525 

91,912 

545 

118,708 

525 

102, 144 

565 

80,387 

541 

75,665 

545 

123,976 

525 

109, 914 

255 

18,633 

255 

18,633 

545 

116,850 

525 

98, 608 

565 

71,533 

541 

66, 504 

565 

68,769 

541 

64,800 

550 

203, 383 

5:  (0 

191,093 

545 

84, 774 

525 

83,304 

235 

19. 986 

195 

1 6, 650 

550 

128, 208 

530 

120, 774 

650 

145, 960 

630 

138,536 

450 

19,330 

450 

19,330 

2,042,355 

1,881,051 

a  Bridge  not  over  canal. 

Feet  clear  opening. 


Highway  bridges .  .  22 

Single  track  railway  bridges . . .  14 

Double-track  railway  bridges  . . ...  26 


388 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


RIGHT  OF  WAY. 

Without  specifying  in  detail,  the  right  of  way  estimated  is  intended 
to  be  sufficient  for  the  prism  of  the  channel  and  for  spoiling  the  mate¬ 
rial  excavated  by  any  method  that  is  suitable  for  the  work.  Through 
towns  it  is  narrowed  up  to  small  limits,  but  in  the  farming  districts  a 
generous  width  is  provided. 

The  estimates  of  quantities  and  cost  of  all  work,  including  right  of 
way,  are  given  in  Tables  Nos.  18  and  19. 

Table  No.  18. — Champlain  route,  Hudson  River  division. 

[Estimate,  30-foot  channel.] 


Quantity. 


Cost  per 
unit. 


Total. 


Lake  Champlain  ( station  0  to  station  1957). 


Excavation : 

Earth,  wet . 

Rock,  quartzite,  dry 
Rock,  quartzite,  wet 

Rock,  shale,  wet . 

Right  of  way: 

Village  property  .... 

Farm  property . 

Railroad  changes. . 

Bridge . 


cubic  yards.. 

. . do _ 

. .do _ 

. do _ 


47, 717,339 
409, 004 
45, 983 
26, 100 


acres., 
.do _ 


number.. 


120 

192 


1 


Total . 

Whitehall  to  Fort  Edward  ( station  1957  to  station  3197). 


$0. 12 
.75 
2. 50 
2. 00 


$5,726,081 
306,  798 
114,958 
52,200 


33,000 

5,050 

61,500 

174,676 


6, 474, 263 


Excavation: 

Earth,  dry . 

Rock,  dry,  quartzite 

Rock,  dry,  shale . 

Retaining  walls,  etc. : 

Retaining  wall . 

Slope  wall . 

Back  fill . 

Timber  cribs: 

Pine.. . 

Hemlock . 

Oak . . 

Iron . . . 

Stone  fill . 

Right  of  way: 

Village  property  . . . 

Farm  property . 

Railroad  changes . 

Bridges . 

Entrance  of  streams _ 

Gates  for  by-pass . . 

Lock  No.  6.. . 

Operating  machinery. . 

Total . 


..cubic  yards. 

. do _ 

. .  do _ 

. do  ... 

square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 

. feet  B.  M-. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

... _ pounds .. 

..cubic  yards.. 

. acres.. 

. . do _ 


number.. 


Hudson  River  (station  3197  to  station  5235). 


79, 839, 083 
6, 569, 002 
2,179,083 

93,865 
506, 290 
353, 970 


.15 

.75 

.60 

4.00 

1.10 

.25 


932, 865 
3,973, 940 
53, 280 
423, 582 
65, 620 


o  30. 00 
a  23.00 
a  50.00 
.03 
.60 


11,975.862 
4, 920, 752 
1,307,450 

375,460 
556, 919 
88,493 

27,986 
91,401 
2,664 
12, 707 
39,372 


477 
5, 594 


12 


782,  .500 
559, 400 
63, 000 
1, 125, 736 
55,010 
52, 115 


777, 799 

100, 000 


22,920,626 


Excavation : 

Earth,  dry . . 

Earth,  wet . 

Rock,  dry . 

Rock,  wet . 

Walls,  etc: 

Retaining  walls 

Slope  walls . 

Back  fill . 

Crib  walls: 

Pine . 

Hemlock . 

Oak . 

Iron. . . 

Stone  fill . 


..cubic  yards. . 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

square  yards. . 
. .cubic  yards.. 

. feet  B.  M.. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. pounds.. 

..cubic  yards. . 


14, 027, 058 
25,355,910 
7,197,489 
19,350,931 

159,619 

380,155 

659,9:34 


.15 

2,104,059 

.20 

5.071, 182 

.60 

4,318,493 

2.00 

38.701,862 

4.50 

718,286 

1.45 

551,225 

.25 

164,984 

6,564,270 
9, 440, 730 
270, 640 
1,373,766 
202, 008 


a  30. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  50. 00 
.03 
.60 


196,928 
217, 137 
13,532 
41.213 
121,205 


a  Per  1,000  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


889 


Table  No.  18. — Champlain  route,  Hudson  River  division — Continued. 


Quantity, 

Total. 

Hudson  River  ( station  3197  to  station  5235) — Continued. 

Right  of  way: 

Village  property .  .  .  .  acres 

185 
5, 209 

8 

4 

6 

$1,397,700 
636. 700 
741,943 
139, 568 
6,101,296 
600, 000 
118,186 
20, 000 

FarnT  property . . . do  .. 

Bridges  . . number.. 

Dams  Nos.  6,  7. 8, 10 . . 

Locks  . .  .  . .  ... 

Operating  machinery .  . 

Entrance  of  Hudson  . . .  . . . . . .  ... 

Steam  ferry  . . . . . . 

Total . . . . . . 

61, 975, 499 

SUMMARY. 

Lake  Champlain . 

Whitehall  to  Fort  Edward  . . 

Hudson  River . 


$6,474,263 
22,920,626 
61, 675, 466 


Total 


91,370,388 


Table  No.  19. — Champlain  route,  Hudson  River  division. 
[Estimate,  21-foot  channel.] 


Lake  Champlain  ( station  0  to  station  195 7). 


Quantity. 


Cost  per 
unit. 


Total. 


Excavation : 

Earth,  wet . 

Rock,  quartzite,  dry. 
Rock,  quartzite,  wet 
Right  of  way: 

Village  property . 

Farm  property  . . 

Railroad  changes . 

Bridge . 


cubic  yards  . 

. do _ 

. .  do _ 


acres., 
.do _ 


18,999,386 
334,  716 
11,195 

120 

192 


number..  1 


Total . 

Whitehall  to  Fort  Edward  (station  1957  to  station  3197). 


$0.12  |  $2,279,926 
.75  |  251,037 

2.50  I  27,988 


33,000 
5, 050 
61,500 
174, 676 


2, 833, 177 


Excavation: 

Earth,  dry . . 

Rock,  dry,  quartzite 

Rock,  dry,  shale . 

Walls,  etc.: 

Retaining  wall . 

Slope  wall . 

Back  fill.... . 

Timber  crib: 

Pine . 

Hemlock . . 

Oak . 

Iron . . . 

Stone  fill.. . 

Right  of  way: 

Village  property.... 

Farm  property . 

Railroad  changes . 

Bridges . . . 

Entrance  of  streams _ 

Gates  for  by-pass . 

Lock  No.  6 . . 

Operating  machinery . . . 


cubic  yards . . 

. do _ 

. do _ 


68,780,484 

4,743,531 

1,220,480 


.15 

.75 

.60 


. do _ 

square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 


62,102  4.00 
546,849  1.10 
221,877  .25 


...feet  B.  M.. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

_ pounds.. 

cubic  yards.. 


943, 425 
3,  (X 10, 880 
53, 280 
337, 557 
50,515 


a  30. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  50. 00 
.03 
.60 


.acres. 

..do... 


.number. 


477 

5,594 


12 


10,317,073 
3, 557, 648 
732,288 

248,408 
601,534 
55, 469 


28,303 
69,020 
2, 664 
10,127 
30,309 


782, 500 
559, 400 
63,000 
1,008.276 
55,010 
43. 385 
453,116 
100,000 


Total . 

Hudson  River  ( station  3197  to  station  5235). 


18,717,530 


Excavation : 
Earth,  dry 
Earth,  wet 
Rock,  dry  . 
Rock,  wet  . 


cubic  yards.. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 


10,722,835 
18,023,672 
4, 650, 489 
12,344,104 


.15 

.20 

.60 

2.00 


1, 608, 425 
3,604,734 
2, 790, 293 
24,688,208 


a  Per  1,000  feet. 


390 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Table  No.  19. — Champlain  route ,  Hudson  River  division — Continued. 


Quantity. 


Cost  per 
unit. 


Total. 


Hudson  River  ( station  .;  19?  to  station  52S5)— Continued. 


Walls  etc.: 

Retaining:  walls  ... 

Slope  walls - — 

Back  fill . , 

Crib  walls: 

Pine . 

Hemlock . 

Oak . . . 

Iron . . 

Stone  fill . 

Right  of  way: 

Village  property  . 
Farm  property  .  - . 

Bridges . 

Dams . . 

Locks . . . 

Operating  machinery 
Entrance  of  Hudson  . 
Steam  ferry . 

Total. . 


..cubic  yards .. 
square  yards. . 
..cubic  yards.. 

. feet  B.  M. . 

. do  ... 

. do  ... 

. . pounds.  . 

..cubic  yards  . 

. acres.. 

. . do _ 


61.H0 
468, 555 
367,  788 

4.50 

1 . 45 
.25 

6, 463, 670 
9,116,940 
266, 320 
1,332,656 
195,036 

a  30. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  50. 00 
.03 
.60 

185 

5. 209 

8 

. 

4 

6 

275, 130 
‘>70, 405 
91,947 


193,910 
209. 690 
13,316 
39,930 
117,022 


1,397,700 
636, 700 
700, 991 
139, 568 
3, 843. 899 
600. 000 
118, 186 
20,000 


41,769,104 


a  Per  1,000  feet. 


SUMMARY. 


Lake  Champlain .  . . . $2, 833, 1 77 

Whitehall  to  Fort  Edward . . . . . . . . 18,717,530 

Hudson  River . . . . . . . .  41,769,104 


Total . . .  63,319,811 


FLOOD-DISCHARGE  MEASUREMENTS  OF  THE  UPPER  MOHAWK  AND 

OTHER  STREAMS. 


In  accordance  with  your  instructions,  on  March  1,  2,  and  3,  1808,  I 
made  a  reconnoissanee  of  the  Mohawk  River  and  tributaries  from 
Rome  to  Little  Falls,  and  of  Fish  Creek  from  Lake  Oneida  to  Taberg, 
with  the  view  of  determining  at  what  points  approximate  Hood  meas¬ 
urements  could  be  easily  and  cheaply  made  during  the  spring  of  1898. 
The  time  allowed  to  prepare  for  and  take  the  observations  precluded 
the  use  of  current  meters  and  similar  methods  for  determining  the 
velocity  of  the  current. 

As  a  result  of  this  preliminary  study  it  was  decided  to  take  the 
measurements  at  points  and  by  methods  as  follows: 

1.  The  Mohawk  River  at  Little  Falls.  A  masonry  dam,  locally 
known  as  the  “Middle  dam,”  exists  across  the  river.  It  is  about  10 
feet  high,  and  all  the  water  not  used  by  the  mills  passes  over  its  crest. 
By  measuring  the  depth  of  water  flowing  over  it  and  adding  to  this 
the  amount  of  water  used  by  the  mills  the  total  flow  could  be  com¬ 
puted  at  this  point. 

2.  The  West  Canada  Creek  at  Herkimer.  About  2  miles  above 
Herkimer  a  timber  and  rock  fill  dam  exists  across  the  stream,  and  it 
was  decided  to  use  the  depth  of  flow  over  it  for  computing  the  dis¬ 
charge  of  the  stream,  but  later  it  was  found  that  the  dam  farther  up 
the  stream,  at  Middleville,  was  better  adapted  for  the  purpose  and  it 
was  used  instead  of  the  one  at  Herkimer. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


391 


3.  The  Sauquoit  Creek,  which  empties  into  the  Mohawk  at  New 
Hartford  about  2  miles  above  Utica.  At  this  point  the  measurements 
were  made  over  the  dam,  as  at  Little  Falls. 

4.  The  Oriskany  Creek,  which  empties  into  the  Mohawk  at  Oriskany. 
A  dam  was  used  at  this  place  also. 

5.  Nine-Mile  Creek,  which  empties  into  the  Mohawk  opposite  and 
above  Oriskany.  A  dam  was  used  at  this  place. 

6.  The  Mohawk  River  at  Rome.  Near  the  city  is  a  masonry  dam, 
but  at  times  of  high  water  it  is  drowned  out  and  evidently  could  not 
be  utilized.  About  2  miles  above  Rome,  at  Ridge  Mills,  a  suitable 
dam  was  found  over  which  the  greater  part  of  the  Hood  waters  passed, 
and  the  rest  flowed  through  two  openings  under  highway  bridges. 
This  point  was  selected  for  making  the  measurements  of  flow  in  the 
Mohawk  at  Rome. 

7.  Fish  Creek  and  Wood  Creek,  which  empty  into  Lake  Oneida  at 
Sylvan  Beach.  No  dams  exist  across  either  of  these  streams  over 
which  the  flow  could  be  measured.  Wood  Creek  is  a  sluggish  stream, 
winding  through  a  low,  flat  swamp,  and  at  no  place  are  the  banks 
high  enough  to  hold  the  waters  within  the  prism  of  the  stream,  and 
no  measurements  of  it  were  undertaken.  Just  below  the  junction  of 
the  east  branch  and  the  west  branch  of  Fish  Creek  is  the  only  place 
between  this  point  and  Lake  Oneida  where  the  ordinary  floods  are 
confined  within  the  banks  of  the  stream,  and  the  extreme  floods  spread 
over  the  bottom  lands  here.  This  is  about  1  mile  below  the  town  of 
Taberg,  and  about  9  miles  above  the  outlet  of  the  stream.  This  point 
was  selected  for  making  the  measurements,  and  the  velocity  of  the 
current  was  determined  by  the  use  of  rod  floats. 

The  various  members  of  the  party  arrived  at  Rome  from  the  Niagara 
routes  on  March  8,  9,  and  10,  and  were  placed  as  follows: 

Little  Falls,  George  F.  Anderson;  West  Canada  Creek,  P.  If.  Ash- 
mead  and  Curtis  Hill;  Sauquoit  Creek,  ,T.  W.  Jenkins;  Oriskany 
Creek,  H.  11.  Lotter;  Mohawk  River  at  Ridge  Mills,  H.  F.  Dose  and 
M.  W.  Tenny;  Nine-Mile  Creek,  R.  McD.  Geraty;  Fish  Creek,  II.  C. 
Goodrich  and  A.  A.  Conger. 

The  warm  weather  existing  at  this  time  caused  the  snow  to  melt 
rapidly,  with  the  result  that  the  maximum  flood  stage  in  the  streams 
was  reached  March  12.  Rains  on  that  night  prolonged  but  did  not 
increase  the  flood  period  to  the  14th,  which  gave  ample  time  to  gage 
the  depth  of  water  flowing  over  the  dams.  The  surveys  of  the  various 
dams  were  made  after  the  waters  receded.  The  floods  of  the  Mohawk, 
West  Canada  Creek,  Nine-Mile  Creek,  and  Fish  Creek  were  the  high¬ 
est  which  had  occurred  for  several  years,  but  were  probably  consider- 
ably  less  than  the  maximum  which  has  occurred;  while  the  flow  in 
Oriskany  Creek  and  in  the  Sauquoit  Creek  was  much  below  the  ordi¬ 
nary  spring  floods. 

The  middle  dam  at  Little  Falls  was  built  in  1892,  and  this  flood  was 
the  greatest  which  has  occurred  since  the  dam  was  built. 


392 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  discharge  of  the  various  streams  was  not  finally  worked  up,  but 
all  notes  were  turned  over  to  the  Water  Supply  Division,  and  the 
results  are  included  in  the  report  of  Mr.  George  W.  Rafter,  Appendix 
No.  It*. 

REPORT  ON  RESULTS  OF  TWO  LINES  OF  LEVELS  RUN  FROM  THE 

GREENBUSH  BENCH  MARK  (OPPOSITE  ALBANY,  N.  Y.)  TO  LAKE 

ONTARIO. 

These  two  lines  of  levels  were  run  by  six  different  parties  and  the 
results  of  the  work  are  set  forth  in  this  report. 

The  first  line  considered  starts  at  the  Lake  Survey  bench  mark  at 
Greenbusli,  N.  Y.,  with  elevation  14.73  feet 1  above  mean  tide  at  New 
York,  and  runs  up  the  Hudson  River  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mohawk 
River  and  follows  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk  to  Rome.  From  Rome 
it  runs  to  Lake  Oneida  and  down  the  valleys  of  the  Oneida  and  Oswego 
rivers  to  the  Lake  Survey  bench  mark  A  at  Oswego,  N.  Y. 

The  other  line  runs  from  the  Greenbusli  benchmark,  elevation  14.73, 
up  the  Hudson  River  to  Fort  Edward,  and  then  crosses  the  divide  to 
Whitehall,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Champlain,  and  then  cont  inues  down  the 
shore  of  the  lake  to  the  Crown  Point  light-house.  From  this  point  to 
Cooperville,  near  Rouse  Point,  the  levels  are  transferred  by  water 
levels.  From  Cooperville  to  Cape  Vincent,  at  the  foot  of  Lake 
Ontario,  the  levels  were  run  with  wye  levels  and  precise  levels. 

The  two  lines  were  connected  through  Lake  Ontario  by  water  levels, 
using  Oswego  and  Cape  Vincent  as  the  points  for  making  gauge 
readings. 

OSWEGO-MOHAWK  ROUTE. 

All  levels  on  this  line  were  run  with  Buff  &  Berger  wye  levels  in 
opposite  directions,  and  the  means  of  the  two  runs  were  used  in  deter¬ 
mining  the  elevations  of  the  bench  marks.  The  line  was  run  by  three 
separate  parties  and  the  work  of  each  will  lie  considered  in  regular 
order,  beginning  at  Greenbusli  and  ending  at  Oswego,  on  Lake 
Ontario. 

First.  Iu  August,  1898,  levels  were  run,  under  the  direction  of  H.  F. 
Dose,  assistant  engineer,  from  bench  mark  1,  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  elevation 
21.85  feet,  to  the  bench  mark  on  gristmill  at  Greenbusli,  making 
its  elevation  14.50  feet,  or  0.23  foot  lower  than  the  adopted  elevation 
of  14.73  feet  for  this  bench  mark.  Therefore  we  have  21.85  +  0.23  = 
22.08,  which  is  the  elevation  of  bench  mark  1,  at  Troy,  corresponding 
to  elevation  14.73  of  the  Greenbusli  bench  mark. 

Second.  In  October,  1897,  levels  were  run,  under  the  direction  of 
D.  .T.  Howell,  assistant  engineer,  from  United  States  Lake  Survey  bench 
mark  6,  elevation  49.69,  on  lock  No.  4  of  Erie  Canal,  to  bench  mark  1, 


1  See  pages  70  and  71,  Report  of  United  States  Deep  Waterways  Commission,  1896. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


393 


on  Congress  Street  Bridge,  at  Troy.  The  elevation  of  bench  mark  1 
thus  established  was  21.85.  But  the  elevation  of  this  bench  mark, 
as  determined  by  Mr.  Dose,  starting  with  elevation  of  14.73  of  the 
Greenbusli  bench  mark,  is  22.084,  a  diffeience  of  0.23  foot.  Since  the 
levels  were  not  run  connecting  bench  mark  1  with  the  Greenbusli 
bench  mark  until  August,  1898,  Mr.  Howell  continued  his  levels  from 
bench  mark  1  (using  elevation  21.85)  up  the  Mohawk  Valley  to  bench 
mark  88,  at  Herkimer,  N.  Y.,  making  its  elevation  389.18  feet.  There¬ 
fore  we  have  389.18+0.23  =  389.41  feet  for  the  elevation  of  bench  mark 
88,  corresponding  to  elevation  14.73  of  the  Greenbusli  bench  mark. 
This  line  of  levels  was  run  in  connection  with  the  topographic  survey, 
and  was  completed  in  October,  1898. 

Third.  A  line  of  levels  was  run  in  connection  with  the  topographic 
survey,  under  the  direction  of  A.  ,T.  Himes,  assistant  engineer,  from 
United  States  Lake  Survey  bench  mark  A,  at  Oswego,  to  bench  mark 
88,  at  Herkimer.  It  was  begun  in  October,  1897,  and  completed  in 
July,  1898.  Starting  with  elevation  251. 9G  of  bench  mark  A,  an  ele¬ 
vation  of  388. 52  was  obtained  for  bench  mark  88.  But,  as  stated  above, 
the  elevation  of  bench  mark  88,  referred  to  14.73  of  the  Greenbusli 
bench  mark,  is  389.408  feet,  a  difference  of  0.89  foot.  Therefore  we 
have  251.90  +  0.89  =  252.85  for  the  elevation  of  bench  mark  A  at 
Oswego. 

Using  elevation  251.96  for  bench  mark  A,  United  States  Assistant 
Engineer  Churchill  has  determined  the  elevation  of  the  zero  of  the 
United  States  gauge  at  Oswego  as  244.18  feet.  Therefore  we  have 
244.18+0.889  =  245.07  for  the  elevation  of  the  zero  of  this  gauge  re¬ 
ferred  to  14.73  of  the  Greenbusli  bench  mark.  Readings  of  the  water 
surface  were  taken  at  7  a.  m.,  12  noon,  and  6  p.  m.  on  this  gauge  from 
July  27,  1898,  to  August  6,  1898,  both  inclusive.  There  were  no  great 
fluctuations  during  the  period,  the  extreme  at  Oswego  being  from 
1.47  to  1.60  feet.  A  mean  of  all  of  these  readings  gives  the  water 
surface  as  1.53  feet  above  the  zero  of  the  gauge,  or  elevation  246.60 
feet. 

CHAMPLAIN  ROUTE. 

The  levels  on  this  route  were  run  by  several  different  parties  using 
different  methods,  and  will  be  considered  in  regular  order  from  Troy, 
N.  Y.,  to  Lake  Ontario. 

First.  Wye  levels  from  Troy,  N.  Y.,  to  Crown  Point  light-house. 

Second.  Water  levels  from  Crown  Point  light-house  through  Lake 
Champlain  to  Kings  Bay,  at  Cooperville,  N.  Y. 

Third.  Wye  levels  from  Rouse  Point  bench  mark  via  Cooperville 
to  Hogansburg,  on  the  St.  Lawrence  River. 

Fourth.  Precise  levels  from  Hogansburg  to  Cape  Vincent,  at  the 
foot  of  Lake  Ontario. 


394 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


TROY  TO  CROWN  POINT  LIGHT-HOUSE. 

This  line  was  run  in  connection  with  the  topographic  survey,  under 
the  direction  of  C.  L.  Harrison,  assistant  engineer,  with  Buff  &  Berger 
wye  level  in  opposite  directions,  and  the  means  of  the  two  runs  were 
used  in  determining  the  elevations  of  the  bench  marks.  It  was  begun 
in  May,  1898,  and  completed  in  September,  1898. 

Starting  at  Troy  from  bench  mark  1,  elevation  21.85,  as  noted 
above,  and  running  via  Fort  Edward  and  Whitehall  to  Crown  Point 
light-house,  bench  mark  231  was  established,  with  elevation  130.585. 
Therefore  we  have  130.585  +  0.23  =  130.815  for  the  elevation  of  bench 
mark  231,  corresponding  to  14.73  of  the  Greenbush  bench  mark.  Con¬ 
nection  was  also  made  with  United  States  Coast  Survey  bench  mark 
30,  on  lock  No.  23  of  Champlain  Canal,  at  Whitehall,  making  its  ele¬ 
vation  104.55  feet,  and  with  United  States  Coast  Survey  bench  mark 
39,  at  Putnam  Station,  making  its  elevation  107.615. 

WATER  LEVELS  THROUGH  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 

The  levels  were  transferred  by  water  through  Lake  Champlain  from 
Crown  Point  light-house  to  Kings  Bay  at  Cooperville  in  January, 
1899,  at  a  time  when  the  entire  lake  was  frozen  over  from  Whitehall 
to  Rouse  Point,  excepting  about  10  miles  of  the  “broad  lake,”  near 
Burlington,  Vt.  Crown  Point  is  at  the  north  end  of  the  narrow  and 
shallow  part  of  the  lake,  which  extends  southward  to  Whitehall. 
Kings  Bay  is  0  miles  south  of  Fort  Montgomery  and  near  the  north 
end  of  the  wide  and  deep  part  of  the  lake,  which  extends  southward 
to  Crown  Point.  These  two  points  were  selected  for  making  the 
transfer,  as  they  were  not  so  liable  to  be  affected  by  slopes  due  to 
flow  of  water  through  the  lake  and  the  piling  up  of  water  due  to  wind 
action  as  points  situated  in  the  narrow  part  of  the  lake. 

The  transfer  of  the  levels  was  made  in  the  following  manner: 

On  the  dock  at  Crown  Point  light-house  and  on  the  bridge  pier  at 
Cooperville  index  points  were  established.  By  means  of  float  gauges 
the  distance  of  the  water  surface  below  the  index  points  was  measured 
at  ten-minute  intervals,  beginning  at  8.40  p.  m.,  January  13,  and 
ending  at  8  p.  m.,  January  15,  making  a  continuous  set  of  readings, 
covering  a  period  of  nearly  forty-eight  hours.  The  extreme  fluctua¬ 
tion  of  the  water  surface  during  this  time  was  0.22  foot  at  Crown  Point 
gauge  and  0.21  foot  at  Cooperville  gauge.  The  index  point  of  gauge  at 
Crown  Point  was  connected  by  spirit  levels  with  the  bench  mark  on 
light-house,  and  the  index  point  of  gauge  at  Cooperville  was  connected 
with  bench  mark  1  on  bridge  pier.  Aneroid  barometers  were  read 
hourly  at  each  station,  but  these  readings  were  not  used  in  working 
up  the  final  results,  because  the  correction  due  to  the  difference  of 
atmospheric  pressure  at  the  two  points  was  less  than  the  probable 
error  in  the  barometers  themselves.  From  these  observations  we  have : 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


395 


Bench  mark  on  Crown  Point  light  house . .  . .  130.815 

Index  point  Crown  Point  gauge.  . . . . . . . .  98.761 

Mean  distance  water  surface  below  index  point .  3. 128 

Elevation  water  surface  at  Crown  Point . . .  95.633 

Elevation  water  surface  at  Cooperville  . . . .  95. 633 

Elevation  index  point  above  mean  water  surface . .  1.675 

Elevation  index  point  of  Cooperville  gauge. . . .  97. 308 

Elevation  bench  mark  1  above  index  point . . .  5.730 

Elevation  bench  mark  1  at  Cooperville .  103.038 

If  the  barometer  correction,  0.045  foot,  be  applied,  this  elevation 
would  become  103.083,  but  it  is  neglected  for  the  reasons  given  above. 

In  August,  1808,  a  duplicate  line  of  wye  levels  was  run,  under  the 
direction  of  Frank  P.  Davis,  assistant  engineer,  from  the  Rouse  Point 
bench  mark,  using  elevation  110.06,  as  established  by  the  Coast  Sur¬ 
vey  in  1882,  to  Cooperville,  and  establishing  bench  mark  1,  with  ele¬ 
vation  104.147,  which  is  1.109  feet  higher  than  obtained  above.  We 
have,  therefore,  110.06 — 1.109=108.951  for  the  new  elevation  of  the 
Rouse  Point  bench  mark. 

The  elevation  110.06  of  the  Rouse  Point  bench  mark  was  transferred 
in  1882  by  water  levels  through  Lake  Champlain  from  Putnam  station 
to  Rouse  Point.  Since  the  new  determination  of  this  is  1.109  feet  lower, 
it  might  be  well  to  compare  the  gauge  readings  taken  at  Fort  Mont¬ 
gomery  and  at  other  points  on  the  lake.  From  January  1  to  January 
15  the  gauge  readings  were  not  taken  at  Fort  Montgomery,  but  gauges 
were  read  at  Whitehall  and  at  Putnam  station  at  the  same  time  read¬ 
ings  were  taken  at  Crown  Point  and  Cooperville — January  14  and  15. 
But  on  the  15th  the  flood  waters  (caused  by  the  rains  on  the  14th) 
from  Wood  Creek  and  the  Granville  River  increased  the  slope  in  the 
lake  from  Whitehall  to  Putnam  station  about  0.3  foot.  Taking  the 
readings  on  the  14th,  when  there  was  very  little  water  flowing  into 
the  lake  at  Whitehall,  we  have  the  following  results: 


Elevation  water  surface  at — 

Feet. 

Whitehall . 96.01 

Putnam  station . 95.90 

Crown  Point.. .  . . 95,68 


showing  a  slope  of  0.11  foot  from  Whitehall  to  Putnam  station  and 
0.22  foot  from  Putnam  station  to  Crown  Point.  The  gauge  at  White¬ 
hall  was  set  from  bench  mark  36,  elevation  104.55,  and  the  gauge  at 
Putnam  was  set  from  bench  mark  39,  elevation  107.615.  The  eleva¬ 
tions  of  these  benches  as  determined  by  the  Coast  Survey  are:  No. 
36,  104.71  feet,  and  No.  39,  108.46  feet.  If  these  elevations  had  been 
used  in  setting  the  gauges,  then  we  would  have  had: 

W ater  surface  at — 


Whitehall . 

Putnam  station 


Feet. 
96.17 
96. 745 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


396 

making  a  fall  in  the  water  surface  from  Putnam  station  to  Whitehall 
of  0.575  foot.  This  is  impossible,  as  the  direction  of  the  flow  is  from 
Whitehall  toward  Putnam  station. 

The  difference,  then,  of  1.109  feet  between  this  (108.951)  and  the 
former  (110.06)  determination  of  the  Rouse  Point  bench  mark  seems 


to  be  distributed  as  follows: 

Difference  in  levels — 

Feet. 

Greenbusli  to  Whitehall . . . . . .  0.160 

Whitehall  to  Putnam  station . . . . . . . . 685 

Slope  in  lake  from  Putnam  to  Crown  Point . .  .  220 

Transferring  levels  across  lake . . . ... . 014 


Total . . . _ . - . . . . .  1.109 


During  the  progress  of  the  surveys  gauges  were  established  and 
read  at  Crown  Point  village,  about  6  miles  south  of  Crown  Point  light¬ 
house,  and  at  Whitehall  for  short  periods. 

In  May,  1899,  Frank  P.  Davis,  assistant  engineer,  ran  a  checked 
line  of  levels  from  Rouse  Point  bench  mark,  108.951,  to  the  United 
States  engineers’  gauge  at  F ort  Montgomery,  determining  the  elevation 
of  its  zero  as  93.50  feet.  Reducing  the  readings  of  this  gauge  to  ele¬ 
vations  for  periods  at  which  we  have  readings  at  other  points  in  the 
lake,  we  have: 


Date. 

Mean  water  surface. 

Differ¬ 

ence. 

From — 

To— 

Crown 

Point 

village. 

White¬ 

hall. 

Fort 

Mont¬ 

gomery. 

Sept.  13,  1898 . 

Dec.  3,  1898  . 

Oct.  20,  1898  . 

94.77 

94.68 
95.34 

95. 68 

0.09 

.34 

.42 

Dec.  21,  1898 

95.68 
96. 10 

Jau.  16.  1899  . . 

Jan.  27, 1899 . 

The  readings  September  13  to  October  20  were  taken  when  the  lake 
was  open  and  affected  more  or  less  by  the  winds,  those  in  December 
when  the  lake  was  partially  frozen  over,  and  those  in  January  when 
the  lake  was  almost  entirely  frozen  over.  The  slope  observed  Janu¬ 
ary  14, 1899,  at  low  water,  when  the  lake  was  frozen  over  from  White¬ 
hall  to  Crown  Point,  was  0.33  foot.  If  this  be  applied,  we  have  0.09 
foot  for  the  slope  from  Crown  Point  light-house  to  Fort  Montgomery. 
These  gauge  readings  indicate  that  there  can  be  no  substantial  error 
in  the  levels  from  Whitehall  to  the  Rouse  Point  bench  mark.  If  the 
old  elevations  of  the  bench  marks  at  Whitehall  and  Rouse  Point  were 
used  to  determine  the  water  surface  at  these  points,  there  would  be  a 
slope  at  low  water  of  about  0.53  foot  from  Fort  Montgomery  to  White¬ 
hall,  which  is  impossible,  since  the  flow  is  from  Whitehall  toward  Fort 
Montgomery. 

COOPERVILLE  TO  HOGANSBURG. 

This  line  was  run  in  connection  with  the  topographic  survey  under 
the  direction  of  Frank  P.  Davis,  assistant  engineer,  with  Buff  &  Berger 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


397 


wye  level,  from  beneli  mark  1,  elevation  104.147,  at  Cooperville,  via 
Champlain  and  Valleyfield  to  United  States  permanent  bench  mark  P, 
on  Catholic  church  at  Hogansburg,  making  its  elevation  180.302.  But 
since  the  elevation  used  of  bench  mark  1  was  1.109  feet  too  high,  we 
have  180.392  — 1.109  =  179.283  for  the  elevation  of  permanent  bench 
mark  P,  at  Hogansburg.  These  levels  were  begun  in  August,  1898, 
and  completed  in  October,  1898. 

HOGANSBURG  TO  CAPE  VINCENT. 

This  is  a  duplicate  line  of  precise  levels  run  in  the  fall  of  1898  and 
the  spring  of  1899  by  D.  A.  Molitor,  United  States  assistant  engineer, 
using  a  Buff  &  Berger  precise  level.  Starting  at  United  States  per¬ 
manent  bench  mark  P,  at  Hogansburg,  elevation  179.283,  and  running 
along  the  St.  Lawrence  River  to  Cape  Vincent,  the  zero  of  the  gauge 
at  that  point  was  determined  as  248.803.  This  gauge  was  read  every 
ten  minutes  from  6  a.  m.  to  6  p.  m.  July  27  to  August  6,  1898,  and 
the  mean  of  the  readings  for  this  time  was  2.318  feet  below  the  zero 
of  the  gauge.  Therefore  we  have  248.803  —  2.318  =  246.485  for  the 
elevation  of  the  mean  water  surface  in  Lake  Ontario  at  Cape  Vincent 
July  27  to  August  6,  1898,  which  is  0.114  foot  lower  than  as  deter¬ 
mined  for  the  same  dates  at  Oswego  via  the  Mohawk  route. 

Notable  elevations,  in  feet,  above  mean  tide  at  New  York. 


Oswego-Mokawk  route. 

Feet. 

Champlain  route. 

Greenbusli  bench  mark  . 

14.  730 

Greenbush  bench  mark . 

14.  730 

Troy  bench  mark  1 . 

22.  084 

Troy  bench  mark  1.  .  . . . . 

22. 084 

Herkimer  bench  mark  75 

389.  408 

Whitehall  bench  mark  30 . . . 

104.550 

Oswego  bench  mark  A .  . . 

252. 853 

Putnam  station  Dench  mark  39. . 

1<  >7. 615 

Oswego  zero  of  gauge.  . . 

Oswego  mean  water  surface  July  27 

245.009 

Zero  of  Fort  Montgomery  gauge. . 

Rouse  Point  bench  mark  on  Chapman 

93.500 

to  August  6,  1898_ . 

240. 599 

Block  . 

108. 951 

Cooperville  bench  mark  1. . . . 

Hogansburg  permanent  bench  rnarkP. 

Cape  Vincent  zero  of  gauge  . . 

Cape  Vincent  mean  water  surface 
July  27  to  August  0,  1898  . . . . 

103.038 

179.283 

248.803 

240. 485 

Assuming  that  the  mean  water  surface  in  Lake  Ontario  was  level 
from  July  27  to  August  6,  1898,  -we  would  then  have  246.599  —  246.485 
=  0.114  for  the  error  of  closure  for  the  two  lines  of  levels. 

The  lengths  of  the  several  lines,  measured  along  the  course  actually 
traversed  in  this  circuit,  are  as  follows: 

Miles. 


Bench  mark  1,  at  Troy,  to  Crown  Point  (wye  levels) . . .  103.  3 

Crown  Point  to  Cooperville  (water  levels) . . .  64 

Cooperville  to  Hogansburg  ( wye  levels) . . . .  78. 5 

Hogansburg  to  Cape  Vincent  (precise  levels) . . .  118. 3 

Cape  Vincent  to  Oswego  (water  levels) . . .  .  47 

Oswego  to  Herkimer  (wye  levels) . . . . .  98. 5 

Herkimer  to  bench  mark  1,  at  Troy  (wye  levels)  . . .  89.  2 


Total . . . - . -  598.8 


398 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Total  wye  levels  .. 
Total  precise  levels 
Total  water  levels 


Miles. 

369. 5 
118.3 
111 


Total.. . . .  598.8 

The  distance,  7  miles,  from  bench  mark  1,  at  Troy,  to  the  Greenbush 
bench  mark  is  common  to  both  lines. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

C.  L.  Harrison, 
Principal  Assistant  Engineer. 
The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  11. 

CHAMPLAIN  ROUTE,  ST.  LAWRENCE  DIVISION. 

Detroit,  Mich.,  September  30,  1899. 

Gentlemen:  I  respectfully  submit  herewith  the  following  report 
on  surveys  of  the  St.  Lawrence  River  from  Ogdensburg  to  Lake  St. 
Francis,  and  estimates  of  the  cost  of  constructing  a  ship  canal  of  21 
and  30  feet  depth. 

A  field  party  was  organized  and  reported  for  duty  at  Ogdensburg, 
N.  Y.,  August  11,  1898.  The  base  line  and  stadia  field  work  were 
commenced  on  the  17th  and  soundings  on  the  22d.  The  boring  party 
was  equipped  with  a  Sullivan  boring  machine  for  work  on  either  land 
or  water,  and  began  work  on  the  river  September  1. 

Topography  was  practically  completed  December  3,  soundings 
December  14,  and  borings  were  discontinued  December  20,  1898. 
Four  land  parties  and  one  river  party  resumed  borings  April  11, 
1899.  The  required  field  work  was  completed  June  20,  1899.  A  small 
office  force  has  been  engaged  on  mapping,  computations,  and  esti¬ 
mates  up  to  September  20,  1899. 

The  field  work  was  done  in  accordance  with  the  general  instructions 
to  field  parties,  Appendix  No.  9. 

The  field  work  has  required  an  aggregate  of  1,031  days’  work  by 
instrument  men,  recorders,  and  rodsmen,  681  days’  work  by  stadia  men 
and  foremen,  276  days’  work  by  teams  with  drivers,  and  2,046  days’ 
work  by  laborers.  The  office  work  has  required  1,028  days’  work  by 
draftsmen  and  computers. 

The  principal  items  of  topographical  work  were  39  miles  of  base 
line;  103.6  miles  of  stadia  circuits;  exclusive  of  side  lines  and  such 
portions  of  base  line  as  were  included  in  the  circuits;  considerable 
work  on  levels  which  were  dependent  upon  the  bench  marks  estab¬ 
lished  by  Mr.  David  Molitor,  United  States  assistant  engineer,  and 
which  have  not  been  reduced  to  miles  run;  about  20,900  soundings; 
148  borings  on  land,  aggregating  7,052  linear  feet,  of  which  65  reached 
rock,  and  151  borings  on  water,  aggregating  2,123  linear  feet,  of  which 
94  reached  rock. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


399 


Surveys  were  not  carried  over  such  portions  of  the  river  as  were 
shown  on  existing  charts  to  have  a  sufficient  depth  of  navigable  water. 
In  Lake  St.  Francis  estimates  are  based  on  data  shown  on  existing 
charts  and  on  soundings  furnished  by  Mr.  Tom  S.  Rubidge,  superin¬ 
tending  engineer  of  the  St.  Lawrence  district,  Cornwall,  Ontario. 

HIGH  AND  LOW  STAGES  OF  THE  RIVER. 


In  order  to  determine  the  relations  of  fluctuations  in  the  river  with 
fluctuations  in  lake,  and  high  and  low  water  stages,  a  comparison  of 
three  points  in  the  river  is  made  with  the  three  highest  and  three  low¬ 
est  stages  of  the  lake  at  Oswego  between  the  years  1865  and  1898. 
The  points  selected  in  the  river  are  the  head  of  the  Galops  Rapids  at 
Lock  No.  27,  the  head  of  Lake  St.  Francis  at  Lock  No.  15,  and  the 
foot  of  Lake  St.  Francis  at  Lock  No.  14.  Gauge  readings  for  Lock  No. 
27  during  the  year  1870  are  not  available;  also  gauge  readings  for  Lock 
No.  15  are  omitted  during  the  first  four  months  of  the  year  on  account 
of  the  effects  of  ice  jams.  The  mean  reading  for  the  year  and  for  the 
period  of  navigation,  May  to  November,  inclusive,  are  given. 

Table  No.  1. — Tabulation  of  gauge  readings  for  the  three  years. 

HIGHEST  ANNUAL  MEAN  GAUGE  READINGS  SINCE  1865. 


Oswego. 

Lock  No.  27. 

Lock  No.  15. 

Lock  No. 

14. 

1870. 

1884. 

1886. 

1884. 

1886. 

1870. 

1884. 

1886. 

1870. 

1884. 

1886. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

January . . 

3. 14 

2.39 

3.48 

9. 18 

11.01 

12. 83 

12.11 

13. 33 

3. 29 

2 

3.55 

9.62 

10. 95 

12.98 

12  13 

13  OH 

March . 

3.29 

3.44 

3.69 

10.33 

10. 87 

12. 36 

12. 58 

12.34 

April .  . 

4.23 

4.05 

4.31 

11.51 

11.83 

13.31 

13. 22 

13. 46 

M*ay . 

4.83 

4.07 

4.52 

11.78 

12.36 

12.43 

11.78 

12.14 

13.42 

13.23 

13.  18 

June . . . 

4. 51 

3.97 

4.32 

11.66 

12. 13 

12.  11 

11.57 

11.97 

13.28 

12.88 

13. 10 

July - - - 

4.19 

3.76 

3.92 

11.66 

11.70 

11.96 

11.57 

11.69 

13. 17 

12.82 

12.82 

August . . 

3.85 

3.53 

3.48 

11  39 

11.33 

11.65 

1 1  .35 

11  32 

12. 94 

12.  41 

12.57 

September _  . . 

3.16 

3. 10 

3. 12 

11.01 

10.98 

11. 15 

10.99 

11.05 

12.54 

12.  44 

12. 15 

October . . 

2.83 

2.  Ii8 

2.83 

10. 54 

10.62 

10.58 

10.  63 

10.  73 

12.44 

12.  11 

12.20 

November _ _ 

2.26 

2. 18 

2. 39 

10.23 

10.49 

10. 05 

10.26 

10.  64 

12.28 

11.86 

12. 12 

December . - 

2.01 

2.03 

2.30 

10. 00 

10.20 

11.01 

11.65 

11.49 

12. 19 

11.98 

12.38 

Mean  readings 

3. 47 

3. 16 

3. 49 

10. 74 

11.21 

12. 81 

12.48 

12.73 

Mean  readings. 

May-Novem- 

ber . 

3. 66 

3.33 

3.51 

11.18 

11.37 

11.42 

11. 16 

11.36 

12. 87 

12.54 

12. 59 

LOWEST  ANNUAL  MEAN  GAUGE  READINGS  SINCE  1865. 


Oswego. 

Lock  No. 

27. 

Lock  No.  15. 

Lock  No. 

14. 

1895. 

1896. 

1897. 

1895. 

1896. 

1897. 

1895. 

1896. 

1897. 

1895. 

1896. 

1897. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

January 

.37 

—.32 

—.24 

8. 02 

7.65 

7.78 

11.50 

11.21 

10.  47 

February . . 

.31 

+  .20 

-.30 

7.19 

7.80 

7.61 

10. 57 

11.18 

10. 35 

March 

.21 

.37 

+  .20 

7.46 

7.70 

8. 11 

10.68 

10.69 

10.  78 

April . 

.76 

1.30 

.84 

8.50 

8.93 

8.94 

11.95 

11.96 

11.58 

May . 

.88 

1.31 

1.28 

8.83 

9.32 

9. 21 

9. 00 

9.83 

9. 89 

11.46 

11.88 

11.63 

June . 

.76 

1.22 

1.50 

8.67 

9. 14 

9.58 

9.53 

9. 73 

9.  92 

11.28 

11.44 

11.65 

July  — . - 

.47 

.96 

1.49 

8.37 

9.03 

9. 50 

9.23 

9. 56 

9.91 

10. 96 

11.25 

11.52 

August . . . 

+.22 

.82 

1.48 

8.20 

8.88 

9.48 

9. 17 

9.43 

9.90 

10.98 

11.12 

11.38 

September _ _ 

-.  12 

.34 

.98 

7.98 

8.40 

8. 93 

8.80 

9.06 

9.38 

10.54 

10.77 

1 1 . 09 

October  . . 

—.46 

+  .11 

.35 

7.63 

8. 19 

8.43 

8.54 

8.78 

8.94 

10.39 

10.44 

tO.  68 

November . 

-.71 

— .  15 

.29 

7.42 

8.08 

s.  it; 

8.37 

8.77 

8. 86 

10. 17 

10.44 

10.68 

December . - 

—.68 

-.  15 

.35 

7.45 

7.91 

8.23 

8.83 

9.32 

9.17 

10.47 

10. 51 

10.96 

.  17 

.50 

.68 

7.98 

8.42 

8. 00 

10. 91 

11.07 

11.06 

Mean  readings. 

May  -  Novem- 

ber . . 

.15 

.66 

1.05 

8. 16 

8.72 

9.04 

9.04 

9.31 

9.54 

10.83 

11.05 

11.23 

400 


DEEP  WA  LEEWAYS. 


Taking  the  difference  between  the  highest  and  lowest  mean  monthly 
readings  gives  a  fluctuation  of  Lake  Ontario  at  Oswego  of  5.54  feet. 
The  months  taken  are  May,  1870, 4.83  feet,  and  November,  1895,  —0.71. 
The  fluctuation  in  the  St.  Lawrence  River  at  lock  No.  27,  between  the 
months  of  May,  1886,  and  November,  1895,  is  4.94  feet.  At  locks  Nos. 
15  and  14  the  difference  between  the  mean  readings  of  May,  1870,  and 
November,  1895,  gives  a  fluctuation  of  4.06  and  3.25  feet,  respectively. 

The  year  1870  gives  a  slightly  lower  annual  mean  reading  than  that 
for  1886,  but  a  higher  mean  for  the  period  of  navigation.  The  curves 
of  gauge  readings  for  these  years  are  nearly  similar.  More  data  are 
available  for  the  year  1886,  and  it  is  taken  as  a  typical  high-water 
stage  for  detailed  comparison  with  the  low- water  stage  of  1895. 

The  general  location  and  approximate  stations  of  the  Canadian 
gauges  used  in  the  St.  Lawrence  River  are  as  follows: 


General  location  of  Canadian  gauges. 

No. 

Station. 

Near  the  head  of  Galops  Island,  Galops  Canal . . . 

27 

3620 

Opposite  Point  Rock  way  at  Iroquois,  Galops  Canal . . . . 

Near  the  head  of  Ogdens  Island,  Rauide  Plat  Canal... _ _ _ _ 

25 

4055 

24 

4260 

Opposite  Dry  Island  at  Morrisburg,  Rapide  Plat  Canal _  _  .  .  _ 

Near  the  head  of  Croills  Island.  Farrans  Plat  Canal  . . . 

23 

4470 

22 

5010 

Opposite  central  part  of  Long  Sault  Island,  Cornwall  Canal.  . . . . . 

Opposite  Cornwall  Island  at  Cornwall,  Cornwall  Canal . . . . 

Near  the  foot  of  Lake  St.  Francis,  Beauliarnois  Canal  . . . . . 

21 

5280 

15 

14 

5795 

The  above  stations  indicate  the  approximate  location  of  the  gauges, 
but  the  elevation  of  the  water  surface  at  the  gauge  does  not  correspond 
exactly  to  the  elevation  of  water  surface  at  the  proposed  center-line 
station,  on  account  of  its  distance  from  the  center  line,  intervening 
islands,  eddies,  etc. 


Table  No.  2 .—Comparison  of  the  high-water  stage  of  1886  and  the  low- water  stage 
of  1895  of  Lake  Ontario  with  the  St.  La  wrence  River  through  Lake  St.  Francis. 


Location  of  gauges. 

Year. 

Average  monthly 

readings . 

Mean  read¬ 
ing,  May 
to  Novem¬ 
ber,  inclu¬ 
sive. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

Au¬ 

gust. 

Sep¬ 

tem¬ 

ber. 

Octo¬ 

ber. 

No¬ 

vem¬ 

ber. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Lake  Ontario  at  Oswe- 

11886 

4.52 

4.:S2 

3.92 

3.48 

3. 12 

2.83 

2. 39 

3.  51 

go,  N.  V  . . . 

1 1895 

0.88 

0.  76 

0.47 

+0.  22 

—0.12 

—0.46 

-0.  71 

+0. 15 

St.  Lawrence  River  at 

[1886 

12.  36 

12. 13 

11.70 

11.33 

10.98 

10. 62 

10. 49 

11.37 

lock  No.  27 _ _ 

\1895 

8.83 

8. 67 

8.37 

8.20 

7.98 

7. 63 

7.42 

8.16 

Lock  No. 25  . . 

11886 

14.70 

14.72 

14.07 

13. 69 

13. 29 

12.58 

12. 57 

13.  66 

1 1895 

10. 31 

10.26 

9.66 

9.  40 

8.81 

8.34 

7.81 

9.23 

Lock  No.  24 . 

Si  886 

11.83 

11.67 

11. 17 

10.  67 

10.  42 

10.08 

9.83 

10.81 

(1895 

7.83 

7.  67 

7.42 

7. 08 

6. 50 

6.17 

5. 67 

6.  90 

Lock  No.  23 . . 

11886 

11.92 

11.67 

11.33 

10.  75 

10.  42 

10.00 

9. 75 

10.83 

11895 

7.  75 

7. 58 

7. 17 

7.00 

6.  42 

6.00 

5.58 

6.  79 

Lock  No.  22 . 

[1886 

11.59 

11.49 

11.  12 

10.  67 

10.  41 

10.08 

9.82 

10.  74 

11895 

8.47 

8.37 

8.08 

7.89 

i .  o2 

7.17 

6.  70 

7.74 

Lock  No. 21 . . 

11886 

12. 17 

12.00 

11.67 

11.33 

11.00 

10.  67 

10. 50 

11.31 

11895 

9.  00 

8.92 

8.67 

8.58 

8.25 

7. 92 

7. 67 

8.43 

11886 

12. 14 

11.97 

11.69 

11.32 

11.05 

10.73 

10. 64 

11.36 

1 1895 

9. 66 

9. 52 

9  22 

9.  17 

8.80 

8.54 

8.  37 

9.04 

Lock  No.  14 . 

1 1886 

13. 18 

13. 10 

12.82 

12.57 

12. 15 

12.20 

12. 12 

12.59 

1 1895 

11.46 

11.28 

10. 96 

10.98 

10.54 

10. 39 

10. 17 

10.83 

In  Table  No.  3  the  difference  between  the  mean  gauge  readings  for 
May  to  November,  inclusive,  for  1886  and  1895  are  reduced  to  a  per¬ 
centage  of  the  fluctations  in  Lake  Ontario. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


401 


Differences  between  the  standard  high  water  determined  in  the  1 896 
report  of  the  United  States  Deep  Waterways  Commission  and  the 
high  stage  of  May,  1886,  is  given;  also  the  differences  between  stand¬ 
ard  low  water  and  the  mean  low  stage  during  the  period  of  navigation 
for  1895. 

The  difference  between  the  high  stage  of  May,  1886,  and  the  low 
stage  of  May  to  November,  inclusive,  for  1895  is  given. 

The  difference  between  standard  low  water  and  that  period  covered 
by  simultaneous  gauge  readings  by  Mr.  David  Molitor,  United  States 
assistant  engineer,  is  also  shown.  , 


Table  No.  3. — Tabulation  of  various  gauge  readings  and,  differences. 


Lake 
On¬ 
tario 
at  Os¬ 
wego. 

St.  Lawrence  River  at  Canadian  locks. 

No.  27. 

No.  25. 

No.  24. 

No.  23. 

No.  22. 

No.  21.  No.  15. 

No.  14. 

Mean  gauge  readings,  May-No- 

vember: 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet.  \  Feet. 

Feet. 

1886... . . . . 

3.51 

11.37 

13. 66 

10. 81 

10.83 

10.  74 

11.33  !  11.36 

12. 59 

1895 . 

0.15 

8.16 

9.23 

6.90 

6.79 

7.74 

8.43  I  9.04 

10. 83 

3  36 

3  21 

4.43 

3.91 

4  04 

3.00 

2.90  i  2.32 

Percentage  of  differences . 

100 

96 

132 

116 

120 

89 

86  !  69 

52 

Standard  high  water  of  1896  report . 

4.83 

12. 67 

15. 67 

12. 58 

10.83 

.  12.42 

13. 42 

Mean  monthly  readings  for  May, 

1886 . . 

4.52 

12.36 

14. 70 

11.83 

11.92 

11.59 

12.17  12.14 

13.18 

Differences _ 

0.31 

0.31 

0.97 

—0. 76 

.  0.28 

0.24 

Standard  low  water  of  1896  report. 

0.32 

8.31 

9.49 

(7. 18) 

6.99 

7.95 

(8.60)  9.13 

10.98 

Less  mean  readings  of  May-No- 

vember,  1895  . . 

0. 17 

0. 15 

0.26 

0.28 

0. 20 

0. 21 

0.17  0.09 

0. 15 

Mean  of  May,  1886,  less  the  mean 

of  May  to  November,  inclusive, 

1895 _ _ _ _ _ 

4.37 

4.20 

5. 47 

4. 93 

5. 13 

3. 85 

3. 74  3. 10 

2.35 

Mean  gauge  readings,  July27-A.u- 

gust  6, 1898  _ _ 

1.53 

9. 19 

10.89 

8.50 

8.39 

8.85 

9. 49  9. 80 

11.34 

Less  standard  low  water  of  1896 

report  . 

1.21 

0.88 

1.40 

1.32 

1.40 

0.90 

0.89  9.67 

0.36 

In  Appendix  No.  1,  page  128,  of  the  “Annual  report  of  the  depart¬ 
ment  of  railways  and  canals,”  Dominion  of  Canada,  for  the  fiscal  year 
from  July  1, 1890,  to  June  30, 1891,  is  a  “  Statement  of  the  highest  and 
lowest  water  on  the  canals  in  the  St.  Lawrence  district,  May  to  Novem¬ 
ber  in  each  year,”  from  1849  to  1891,  for  gauges  at  locks  Nos.  15,  21, 
23,  24,  25,  and  27.  A  similar  statement  in  the  report  for  the  fiscal 
year  from  July  1,  1896,  to  June  30,  1897,  on  page  161,  Part  I,  con¬ 
tinues  this  data  to  June,  1897. 

The  following  readings  show  the  highest  daily  readings  occurring 
during  those  months  when  water  stood  at  or  more  than  0.5  foot  above 
the  mean  reading  of  May,  1886,  for  the  corresponding  gauge: 


Highest  gauge  reading. 

Lock  No.  27,  May,  1870. . .  _ _ _ _  -  13. 00 

Lock  No.  25: 

July,  1867  _ _ _ _ _ _ - - -  15.67 

May,  1870  _  _  _ _ _  16.17 

July,  1876 - - -  - - -  15.67 

May,  1884  _ _  _  15.83 

May,  1886  _ _ _ _ _ _  15.25 

H.  Doc.  149 - 26 


402 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Lock  No.  24: 

July,  1867 . . . - . - . ...  12.50 

May,  1870  . . . . .' . . . . . . . 13.00 

May.  1876  . . . .  12.75 

May,  1884  . . . . . . .  . . . . . . .  ..  12.50 

Lock  No.  23: 

June,  1867 . . . . . .  12.83 

May,  1870  . .  . . . .  ...  12.75 

July.  1876 . .  . . .  12.50 

May,  1884  _ _ _  _ _  12.75 

LockNo.  22,  July,  1876  . . . . . . . . . .  12.50 

Lock  No.  21: 

May,  1870  . . . .  . . . .  12.75 

June,  1886 . . . . . .  . .  12.92 

Lock  No.  15,  June,  1870 _ _ _ _ _ _ _  12. 67 


These  maximum  daily  readings  average  approximately  1  foot  above 
the  mean  high  stage  of  May,  1886. 

The  following  readings  show  the  lowest  daily  readings  occurring 
during  those  months  when  the  water  stood  at  or  lower  than  0.5  foot 
below  the  mean  readings  of  1895,  May  to  November,  inclusive: 

• 

Lowest  gauge  reading. 


Lock  No.  27: 

November,  1889 . . . . . . i _ 7.08 

November,  1895 . . . . . . . . . .  6.75 

November,  1896 ... .  . . . . .  7.50 

Lock  No.  25: 

November,  1875. . . . . . . . . . . . .  8. 33 

November,  1887 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  8.33 

October.  1891  . . . . .  7.83 

November,  1895 . . . . . . . . '. _ _  6. 67 

November,  1896 . . . . . . . . . 8.25 

Lock  No.  24: 

November,  1875 . . . .  . . .  6.25 

November,  1889 . . . . . . . . . . .  6.00 

November,  1895 . . . . . . . . . . 4.42 

November,  1896 _  _ _ _ _ _ _  5.58 

Lock  No.  23: 

November,  1875. . . 6.00 

November,  1895 _ 4.83 

November,  1896 . 5.75 

Lock  No.  22: 

November.  1895 . . . . . . . . . .  5. 83 

November,  1896... . 6.92 

Lock  No.  21: 

November,  1895 . . . . . . .  7.33 

November,  1896 . . . . . . . . 7.67 

Lock  No.  15: 

November,  1895 . . . . . . . . . .  8.00 

November,  1896.. . . . . . . . . . 8.54 


Table  No.  4  shows  the  approximate  location  of  the  gauges  estab¬ 
lished  by  Mr.  David  Molitor,  United  States  assistant  engineer,  over 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


403 


that  stretch  of  the  river  under  consideration,  and  the  reduction  of  the 
mean  elevations  of  the  water  surface  to  standard  low  water. 

The  percentage  corrections  are  determined  by  multiplying  1.21, 
which  is  that  stage  of  Lake  Ontario  at  Oswego  during  the  period  cov¬ 
ered  by  the  simultaneous  gauge  readings,  by  a  factor  obtained  from 
the  percentages  of  fluctuations  found  between  the  mean  high  water, 
1886,  and  the  mean  low  water  of  1895,  at  the  various  Canadian  gauges 
during  the  period  of  navigation.  The  approximate  elevation  of  stand¬ 
ard  low  water  so  determined  is  used  for  a  comparison  with  the  reduc¬ 
tions  otherwise  obtained. 

All  elevations  used  in  this  report  are  based  on  a  line  of  levels  run 
under  direction  of  the  United  States  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep 
Waterways  from  the  Greenbush  bench  mark  elevation,  14.73  feet 
above  mean  tide  at  New  York. 

Table  No.  4. 


No. 

General  location. 

Station. 

Mean  ele¬ 
vation 
water  sur¬ 
face. 

Percent¬ 
age  cor¬ 
rection. 

Elevation 
standard 
low  water. 

15 

Ogdensburg . 

3272 

245.811 

1.16 

244. 65 

14 

Butternut  Island . 

3586 

244. 868 

1.16 

243. 71 

13 

Sheldon  Island . 

3811 

235.  805 

1.22 

234. 59 

12 

Point  Rockway . . . 

4070  + 

228.  543 

1.60 

226.94 

11 

Leishmans  Point . . . 

4225  + 

226.  412 

1.42 

224.99 

111 

Waddington,  below  dam . . . . 

4346 

215.  202 

1.42 

213.  78 

9 

Murphys  Island  . . 

4510  + 

213.  675 

1.45 

212.23 

8 

Above  Bradfords  Hill . 

4735  ± 

208. 983 

1.32 

207. 66 

7 

Below  Bradfords  Hill . _ . .  . 

4770  + 

207.  657 

1.26 

206. 40 

6 

Louisville  Landing. . 

4975 

206. 188 

1.(19 

205. 10 

5 

Richards  Landing . . . 

5123 

204.  792 

1.05 

203. 74 

O 

Grass  River . . . . . 

5633 

156.  844 

0.91 

*  155.93 

1 

Racket  River . . . 

5855 

154. 595 

0.82 

153. 78 

Table  No.  5,  giving  the  standard  high  and  low  water  after  comple¬ 
tion  of  proposed  work,  has  been  computed  from  the  elevation  of  the 
actual  water  surface,  taken  on  various  dates,  reduced  to  standard 
low  water  by  a  comparison  with  the  Oswego  gauge  readings  for  the 
corresponding  dates,  reduced  to  standard  low  water  at  the  desired 
point  by  applying  the  percentage  correction  shown  in  Table  No.  3, 
by  a  comparison  with  the  standard  low  water  obtained  by  applying 
the  same  percentage  to  the  mean  elevations  determined  by  Mr.  David 
Molitor,  United  States  assistant  engineer,  and  by  a  comparison  with 
the  difference  between  the  nearest  Canadian  gauge  reading  and  its 
standard  low  water.  The  various  results  thus  obtained  practically 
agree. 

The  standard  high  water,  after  completion  of  the  proposed  works, 
is  determined  by  a  comparison  of  the  high  stage  of  Lake  Ontario  at 
Oswego,  reduced  to  an  elevation  at  the  desired  point  by  applying  the 
percentage  correction,  and  by  a  comparison  with  standard  high  water 
of  the  nearest  Canadian  gauges.  The  results  thus  obtained  agree 
within  reasonable  limits. 


404 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  grade  used  for  the  channels  of  30  or  21  feet  depth,  on  which 
estimates  depend,  are  determined  by  subtracting  30  or  21  feet  from 
the  standard  low  water,  except  as  is  noted  under  details  of  the  esti¬ 
mates  of  the  respective  channels. 

Table  No.  5. 


Number  of  nearest 
gauge. 

Elevation. 

General  location. 

Station. 

Molitor’s. 

Canadian. 

Stand¬ 
ard  high 
water. 1 

Stand¬ 
ard  low 
water.1 

State  hospital  grounds . . . 

3149 

14 

27 

248.8 

244.4 

Head  of  Galops  Island . . 

3629 

14 

27 

247.1 

242.7 

Lock.  Sheldon  Island-- _ _ 

3779 

13 

13 

27 

247. 1 

242.7 

Do  . . 

3779 

27 

237.  5 

233.0 

Leisli mans  Point . - . . 

4213 

11 

24 

231.0 

225.  7 

Lock,  Clarks  Point . . 

4372 

10 

23 

231.0 

225.7 

Do  .  . 

4372 

10 

23 

219. 4 

213. 9 

Off  Dry  Island  _ _ _ 

4495 

9 

23 

218.4 

212.8 

Below  Bradfords  Hill . . . 

4705 

22 

210.9 

200. 2 

Off  Chat  Island  . . . 

4925 

6 

22 

209. 3 

205. 2 

Richards  Point  . . 

5075 

6 

22 

209.0 

205. 0 

St,.  Lawrence  Power  Company  Canal _ 

5233 

208. 5 

204.5 

Lock,  Massena  Valley . . 

5508 

208.5 

204.5 

Do 

5508 

160. 2 

156. 8 

Near  the  mouth  of  Grass  River _ 

5033 

2 

15 

160.2 

156. 8 

Off  Cornwall  Island . . 

5815 

i 

15 

157.  0 

153. 7 

Off  St.  Regis  Island...  . . . 

6035 

i 

15 

15 

150.  7 

153. 4 

Lower  portion  Lake  St.  Francis . . . 

7280 

i 

155. 5 

153. 0 

1  After  improvement  has  been  completed. 


Stations  showing  location  of  head  of  locks  as  given  in  Table  No.  5 
are  for  the  30-foot  channel.  The  location  of  the  locks  for  the  21-foot 
channel  does  not  correspond  exactly  with  the  locks  of  the  30-foot 
channel. 

EFFECT  OF  ICE  JAMS. 


Ice  jams  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Regis  Island  occur  during  the  winter 
months,  occasionally  beginning  in  December  or  extending  into  April. 
The  rise  of  water  is  generally  from  10  to  20  feet  above  standard  low 
water. 

The  following  readings  show  the  highest  readings  during  the  months 
indicated,  wherein  the  gauge  readings  of  the  Cornwall  Lock  No.  15 
were  over  30  feet,  or  21  feet  above  standard  low  water,  between  the 
years  1802  to  1899,  inclusive: 


Date. 

Reading. 

Height 

above 

standard 

low 

water. 

February,  1870 . _ . 

31.42 

90 

January,  1871 . 

30. 43 

21.29 

January,  1884 . 

32.17 

23. 04 

January,  1885 . 

January,  1887 . . . . . 

30.67 
38. 33 

21.54 
29. 20 

March,  1891 . 

30.25 

21.12 

Effects  produced  by  ice  jams  in  the  vicinity  of  proposed  construc¬ 
tion  between  Ogdensburg  and  the  entrance  to  the  land  canal  at 
Richards  Point  can  be  disregarded. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


405 


GENERAL  TOPOGRAPHY  AND  MATERIAL  ENCOUNTERED. 

From  Ogdensburg  to  Waddington  the  ridge  adjacent  to  the  river  is 
wide  and  varies  from  40  to  70  or  more  feet  above  the  water  surface. 
It  is  broken  by  a  few  small  creeks.  In  the  vicinity  of  Gooseneck 
Island  and  Louisville  Landing  vallej^s  extend  southward  toward  the 
Grass  River,  which,  at  the  latter  place,  approaches  within  about  3 
miles  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  From  this  point  the  trend  of  the  ridges 
or  valleys  is  nearly  parallel  to  the  St.  Lawrence  for  a  distance  of 
about  11  miles,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Grass  River.  Several  cross-overs 
exist  between  the  valleys. 

The  higher  portions  of  points  and  islands  crossed  by  the  proposed 
center  line  have  a  rich  but  shallow  loamy  surface.  The  Massena  val¬ 
leys  are  in  general  fertile  bottom  lands. 

The  usual  formation  of  all  points,  islands,  and  ridges  is  a  core  of 
bowlder  clay  approaching  close  to  the  surface  on  the  upstream  side, 
while  on  the  downstream  side  considerable  clay  and  sand  of  softer 
material  is  frequently  found.  A  portion  of  the  bowlder  clay  is  more 
or  less  cemented  and  is  classified  as  “liardpan”  in  the  detailed  esti¬ 
mates  of  yardage  and  cost.  The  remaining  portion  is  classified  as 
“hard  material.”  It  consists  of  sand,  gravel,  and  bowlders  in  vary¬ 
ing  proportions,  mixed  with  clay,  but  not  cemented,  liardpan  is 
imposed  upon  several  feet  of  soft  blue  clay  in  a  few  cases. 

The  bulk  of  the  clay  is  soft  blue  clay;  a  small  proportion  is  a  tough 
yellow  clay.  All  the  gravel  found  is  angular,  and  appears  to  have 
been  formed  from  local  rock.  It  generally  contains  a  small  amount 
of  clay,  but  not  enough  to  cement  it  together. 

The  rock  appears  to  be  a  heavy  dark-gray  limestone  with  a  clear 
ring  and  good  weathering  properties,  as  is  shown  by  various  outcrop¬ 
pings  in  the  vicinity  of  Lisbon,  Waddington,  and  Ilogansburg.  It  is 
called  a  calciferous  sandstone;  the  percentage  of  lime  varies  through 
a  large  range.  Rock  excavation  was  in  progress  on  the  St.  Lawrence 
Power  Company’s  canal  and  on  the  Canadian  Canal  improvements. 
It  was  easily  drilled  and  conveniently  broken  for  loading  into  cars, 
skips,  etc.  The  strata  are  practically  horizontal,  and  vary  in  thick¬ 
ness  from  a  few  inches  up  to  about  5  feet. 

Some  public  buildings  and  dwellings  are  constructed  from  stone 
taken  from  local  quarries.  A  similar  stone  is  used  in  the  construc¬ 
tion  of  a  portion  of  the  masonry  in  the  Canadian  locks. 

A  considerable  area  of  rock  outcroppings  appears  on  river  bottoms 
at  the  Galops  Rapids  and  the  Rapide  Plat.  Other  river  bottoms  in 
the  vicinity  of  swift  water  are  thickly  covered  with  medium-sized 
bowlders. 

GENERAL  ROUTE  AND  ESTIMATES. 

Those  stretches  of  the  river  requiring  radical  improvement  are  the 
Galops  Rapids,  the  swift  water  in  the  vicinity  of  Long  Point  and  Point 


40b 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Rockway,  the  Rapide  Plat,  and  the  swift  water  extending  from  Croflls 
Island  to  Cornwall  Island,  including  the  Long  Sault. 

Estimates  are  based  upon  the  standard  sections  and  designs,  except 
that  the  600-foot  river  channel  has  been  contracted  to  a  400-foot 
width  between  Lalone  Island  and  the  mainland,  channel  limits  being 
above  high  water.  In  a  few  other  places,  where  a  side  slope  would 
extend  into  a  high  shore,  a  contraction  of  100  feet  on  that  side  has 
been  made.  Additional  excavation  in  river  sections  has  been  esti¬ 
mated  at  all  curves  between  the  outer  curve  and  its  tangents. 

No  slope  walls  are  estimated  adjacent  to  river  sections,  where  the 
excavated  shore  is  hard  material,  as  is  the  case  at  Lalone  Island,  Long 
Point,  Point  Rockway,  and  a  few  other  places. 

For  convenience  in  tabulating  quantities  and  cost  the  proposed 
work  is  divided  into  sections,  as  follows: 

Section  1. — Station  3481  to  station  3763;  from  the  St.  Lawrence 
State  hospital  grounds  to  the  dock  at  entrance  of  the  Sheldon  Island 
lock. 

Section  2. — Station  3763  to  station  3819;  Sheldon  Island  lock  and 
excavation  out  to  deep  water. 

Section  3. — Station  3819  to  station  3885;  general  river  improvements 
at  Long  Point. 

Section  Jf. — Station  3999  to  station  4066;  general  river  improvements 
at  Point  Rockway. 

Section  5. — Station  4206  to  station  4233;  Leishmans  Point. 

Section  6. — Station  4233  to  station  4261;  Leishmans  Point  to  land 
canal  in  Ogdens  Island. 

Section  7. — Station  4261  to  station  4278;  land  canal  in  Ogdens 
Island. 

Section  8. — Station  4278  to  station  4356;  from  Ogdens  Island  canal 
to  dock  at  entrance  of  lock  in  Clarks  Point. 

Section  9. — Station  4356  to  station  4396;  lock  at  Clarks  Point. 

Section  10. — Station  4396  to  station  4933;  from  the  end  of  dock 
below  Clarks  Point  to  deep  water  beyond  Chat  Island. 

Section  11. — Station  5055  to  station  5491;  from  Richards  Point  to 
the  dock  for  the  Massena  Valley  lock. 

Section  12. — Station  5491  to  station  5532;  the  Massena  Valley  lock. 

Section  13. — Station  5532  to  station  5635;  from  the  Massena  Valley 
lock  to  the  deep  water  in  the  St.  Lawrence  River  near  the  mouth  of 
Grass  River. 

Section  11^. — Station  5668  to  station  7028;  from  below  the  mouth  of 
Grass  River  to  opposite  McKees  Point,  Lake  St.  Francis. 

The  estimates  for  the  proposed  river  improvements  for  the  North 
Galops  channel  and  for  Long  Point  and  Point  Rockway  are  the  same 
for  the  canals  of  30  or  21  feet  depth. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


407 


DETAILED  ESTIMATES,  30-FOOT  CHANNEL. 

Estimates  are  based  on  slack-water  navigation  from  the  head  of 
Galops  Island  to  the  foot  of  Sheldon  Island  by  means  of  rock-filled 
dams,  connecting  Galops,  Benedict,  Ray  craft,  Lalone,  and  Sheldon 
islands,  and  Sheldon  Island  with  the  mainland  opposite,  the  lock  of 
0.7  feet  lift,  standard  low  water,  being  located  in  Sheldon  Island. 

It  is  proposed  to  enlarge  the  North  Galops  channel  by  excavating  a 
20-foot  channel  1,300  feet  wide  through  the  adjacent  portions  of  Galops 
and  Adams  islands.  The  present  channel  at  this  point  is  estimated 
at  5,000  square  feet  area.  The  proposed  channel  would  be  26,000 
square  feet,  giving  an  increased  area  of  21,000  square  feet.  The 
present  area  of  the  North  Channel  between  Adams  Island  and  the 
guard  wall  of  the  Canadian  canal  is  16,000  square  feet.  The  area  of 
the  South  Channel  near  Red  Mill  Point  is  19,500  square  feet.  This 
improvement  of  the  North  Channel,  with  the  slack- water  navigation 
in  the  South  Channel,  would  make  the  cross  section  available  for  dis¬ 
charge  to  the  Galops  Rapids  practically  unchanged.  The  yardage 
and  classification  of  material  has  been  determined  from  the  data  on 
existing  charts,  and  the  estimated  cost  of  the  same  is  regarded  as 
equivalent  to  the  cost  of  any  required  improvements  at  this  point. 

The  yardage  of  material  required  for  rock-filled  dams  is  based 
upon  a  dam  4  feet  above  high  water,  having  a  top  width  of  20  feet  and 
side  slopes  of  14  to  1.  No  deduction  is  made  in  these  quantities  for 
the  material  that  could  be  deposited  by  scows,  etc.,  from  the  “exca¬ 
vation  under  water.”  The  river  bottom  at  the  dam  sites  is  either  rock 
or  hard  material.  The  present  currents  between  the  islands  have  a 
maximum  surface  velocity  of  from  3  to  4  miles  per  hour,  and  are 
directed  northward,  except  between  Lalone  and  Sheldon  islands. 

In  general,  the  bulk  of  the  material  necessary  for  dams,  back  filling, 
embankments,  and  crushed  stone  for  concrete  is  available  from  the 
material  to  lie  excavated  from  channel. 

Table  No.  6. 

ESTIMATE,  30-FOOT  CHANNEL. 

Section  1. — The  estimated  yardage  and  cost  of  material  to  be  exca¬ 


vated  and  dams  constructed  are  as  follows: 

Excavation  under  water: 

Rock,  2,939,642  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50 . . . .  $7, 349, 105 

Hard  material,  1,098,583  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  274, 646 

Gravel,  106,050  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . .  15,908 

Excavation  in  the  dry: 

Rock.  25,036  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . . .  16, 273 

Hard  material,  103,018  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  25, 755 

Gravel,  41,112  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  6, 167 


408 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


For  1  lie  improvement  of  the  North  Galops  Channel: 

Excavation  under  water: 

Rock.  566.908  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50 . . . $1,417,270 

Hard  material,  226,805  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  56,701 

Excavation  in  tlie  dry: 

Rock,  592.444  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . . .  ...  385,089 

Hard  material.  860,389  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  .  215, 097 

Rock-filled  dams: 

Between  Galops  and  Benedict  islands.  20,737  cubic  yards,  at  50 

cents _  _ _ — . . . . .  10.368 

Between  Benedict  and  Raycraft  islands,  21,972  cubic  yards,  at  50 

cents  . . . . . . . . . .  10.986 

Between  Raycraft  and  Lalone  islands.  46,425  cubic  yards,  at  50 

cents .  . . . . . .  23.212 

Between  Lalone  and  Sheldon  islands.  30.310  cubic  yards,  at  50 

cents . . . .  15,155 

Right  of  way: 

On  Galops  Island,  including  the  acreage  required  for  river  improve¬ 
ments  at  the  northwest  portion,  114  acres,  at  $75 . . . .  8.  550 

On  mainland  opposite  Galops  Island,  10  acres,  at  $75 . .  750 

Six  islands,  including  Adams  Island . . . .  6, 500 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  1 . . . . .  9,837,532 

Section  2. — Docks  and  cribs  in  approaches  to  the  lock,  the  lock, 
and  the  retaining- wall  quantities  are  based  on  the  standard  designs. 

The  lock  is  located  between  station  3777+29  and  station  3787+00 
in  Sheldon  Island.  The  lift  at  standard  low  water  is  9.7  feet.  The 
fluctuation  of  high  water  is  4.4  feet  and  4.5  feet.  Both  above  and 
below  the  lock,  respectively,  the  foundations  are  on  rock. 

The  estimated  quantities  and  cost  of  construction  are  as  follows: 

Excavation  under  water: 

Rock,  33,459  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50 . . . . .  $83, 647 

Hardpan,  112,788  cubic  yards,  at  $1 . . . .  112, 788 

Hard  material,  311,926  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  77,981 

Clay,  89,643  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . . .  13,446 

Gravel,  6,144  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  922 

Excavation  in  the  dry: 

Rock,  267,850  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents  . . . .  174, 103 

Hardpan.  106,492  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents _ - .  .  .  37.272 

Hard  material,  85,993  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  21, 498 

Clay,  48,911  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents. .  7,337 

Approaches  to  lock  (docks): 

Timber — 

Oak.  79.680  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M . .  3, 984 

Hemlock,  5,588,962  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M . . .  128.546 

Pine,  1,594,432  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M .  . .  _  47,832 

Stone  fill,  88,441  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . .  53, 065 

Iron,  driftbolts,  652,005  pounds,  at  3  cents  . . . . .  19,560 

Retaining  walls,  4,849  cubic  yards,  at  $4 . . .  19, 396 

Rock- filled  dam  from  Sheldon  Island  to  mainland,  50,046  cubic  yards, 

at  50  cents . . . . . . .  25, 023 

Back  fill,  105,128  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  26,282 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


409 


Lock  No.  1  (Sheldon  Island) . . $816,888 

Lock  operating  machinery. .  100, 000 

Right  of  way: 

Sheldon  Island,  62  acres,  at  $100  . . . . .  $6,200 

Mainland,  20  acres,  at  $75 .  1, 500 

-  7, 700 

Total  estimated  cost  of  section  2  . . . . .  1, 777, 270 

Sections  3  and  4-— -It  is  proposed  to  improve  the  river  at  Long  Point 
and  at  Point  Rockway  by  so  increasing  the  cross  section  that  the 
slope  shall  be  practically  uniform  from  Sheldon  Island  to  Leishmans 
Point. 

Simultaneous  gauge  readings  taken  above  and  below  Long  Point 
give  a  difference  in  elevation  of  water  surface  of  2.25  feet  in  a  dis¬ 
tance  of  4,000  feet,  estimated  along  the  central  thread  of  the  river. 
The  present  estimated  mean  available  area  at  an  elevation  of  234 
feet,  corresponding  to  that  stage  of  the  river  during  which  discharge 
measurements  were  made  at  Ogdensburg,  is  37,540  square  feet.  This 
gives,  with  the  measured  discharge  of  219,100  cubic  feet  per  second, 
a  mean  velocity  of  5.84  feet  per  second.  The  maximum  velocity 
observed  by  using  rod  floats  submerged  about  6  feet  was  10.3  feet  per 
second. 

The  proposed  river  improvements  upon  which  estimates  are  based 
increase  the  area  to  56,860  square  feet  and  decrease  the  mean  velocity 
to  3.9  feet  per  second. 

Similarly,  at  Point  Rockway,  a  difference  in  elevation  of  3.70  feet 
in  an  estimated  distance  of  7,000  feet  was  determined.  The  eleva¬ 
tion  of  water  surface  for  the  mean  present  section  of  33,150  square 
feet  for  a  stage  corresponding  to  that  used  for  Long  Point  is  229.6 
feet.  The  mean  velocity  is  6.6  feet  per  second.  The  maximum 
observed  velocity  was  9.8  feet  per  second. 

The  area  at  this  point  is  increased  to  51,730  square  feet  and  t lie 
mean  velocity  reduced  to  4.2  feet  per  second. 

Eddies  exist  below  both  Long  Point  and  Point  Rockway,  and  the 
estimated  distances  of  4,000  feet  and  7,000  feet,  respectively,  may 
be  too  small  for  representing  present  conditions.  The  proposed 
improvements  would  destroy  or  largely  decrease  these  eddies. 

These  increased  areas  at  Point  Rockway  and  Long  Point  will 
decrease  the  elevation  of  the  water  surface  below  Sheldon  Island 
about  1.6  feet.  The  increased  area  at  the  head  of  the  North  Galops 
Channel  will  tend  to  decrease  this  effect.  The  decrease  of  the  veloc¬ 
ity  of  approach  to  the  pools  below  Long  Point  and  Point  Rockway  will 
tend  toward  a  relative  increase  in  the  elevation  of  the  water  sur¬ 
face  at  the  head  of  these  pools.  The  resulting  slopes  at  the  improved 
points  and  through  the  pools  are  nearly  the  same.  Therefore  a  uni¬ 
form  slope  for  estimating  the  yardage  of  excavation  is  used  from  the 
lock  approaches  below  Sheldon  Island  to  Leishmans  Point. 


410 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


*The  estimate  is  based  on  excavating  all  material  from  a  side  line 
100  feet  to  right  of  the  center  line,  slopes  2  on  1,  out  to  deep  water, 
and  the  quantities  are  the  same  for  the  proposed  canals  of  either  21 
or  30  feet  depth. 

The  estimated  quantities  and  cost  are  as  follows: 


Section  3: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Hardpan,  818,948  cubic  yards,  at  $1 . . . .  $818,  948 

Clay,  7,160  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . .  1,074 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Hardpan,  680,631  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents . .  238,221 

Clay,  277,110  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents. .  . .  41,567 

Right  of  way,  36  acres,  at  $75 . . . .  2,  700 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  3 _ _  _  1, 102,  510 


Section  4: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Rock,  61,348  cubic  yards. at  $2.50. . . ...  153,370 

Hard  material,  1,101,611  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents. .  275, 403 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  105,317  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents _ _ _  68,456 

Hard  material,  595,036  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . . . .  148,  759 

Right  of  way,  37  acres,  at  $75  . . .  .  2, 775 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  4 .  . . .  648, 763 


At  the  Rapide  Plat  it  is  proposed  to  obtain  slack-water  navigation 
by  a  rock-filled  dam  between  Clarks  Point  and  Ogdens  Island  and  a 
lock  located  in  Clarks  Point.  A  land  canal,  earth  section,  will  be 
necessary  through  Leishmans  Point  and  through  a  portion  of  Ogdens 
Island.  Otherwise  the  600-foot  river  section  through  the  Little 
River  is  used  in  estimating  quantities  to  be  excavated.  The  maxi¬ 
mum  velocity  observed  just  below  the  entrance  to  the  land  canal  at 
Leishmans  Point  was  8  feet  per  second,  about  700  feet  off  the  shore — 
a  velocity  greater  than  that  existing  on  the  proposed  sailing  course  at 
and  above  this  entrance.  A  guard  crib  300  feet  long,  of  the  standard 
section,  is  estimated  for  at  this  point. 

This  proposition  would  destroy  the  existing  dam  and  water  power 
at  Waddington.  It  is  estimated  that  15,000  theoretical  horsepower 
could  be  developed  by  properly  improving  the  dam  and  the  highway 
crossing  above  the  same  and  the  canal.  Three  mills,  including  the 
electric-lighting  plant,  are  located  on  the  dam,  which  is  950  feet  long, 
and  eight  mills  are  located  on  the  canal,  which  is  950  feet  long.  These 
mills  consist  of  two  flour  and  grist  mills,  a  lighting  plant,  milk  receiver, 
blacksmith  shop,  planing,  shingle,  and  saw  mills,  etc.  Their  outputs 
are  mainly  to  meet  local  demands.  The  total  present  capacity  of  the 
above  mills  will  not  exceed  300  horsepower.  The  valuation  of  this 
property  is  based  upon  its  possible  future  improvement. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


411 


The  lock  at  Clarks  Point  is  on  rock  foundation;  the  lift  at  standard 
low- water  is  11.8  feet;  the  high  water  above  the  lock  is  5.3  feet,  and 
below  the  lock  it  is  5.5  feet  above  standard  low  water. 

The  division  of  excavation  under  water  and  in  the  dry  has  been 
determined  from  the  present  shore  line. 

The  estimated  quantities  and  cost  for  sections  5  to  9,  inclusive,  are 


tabulated  as  follows: 

Section  5: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Rock,  23,626  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50 . ... .  $59, 065 

Hard  material,  46,245  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . . . .  11, 561 

Clay,  52,860  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . .  7, 929 

Gravel,  28,275  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents  . .  4,241 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  104,195  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . .  . .  _  67, 727 

Hard  material,  638,665  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents _ _  159,  666 

Clay,  75,560  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . .  .  11,334 

Guard  crib  at  entrance — 

Timber — 

Hemlock,  538,620  feet  B.  M..  at  $23  per  M .  12, 388 

Pine,  163,536  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M . . .  4,906 

Stone  fill,  8,400  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . . . . . . .  5,040 

Iron  driftbolts,  62,585  pounds,  at  3  cents . . . . . .  1,878 

Slope  walls.  8,125  square  yards,  at  $1.10 . . . .  8,937 

Right  of  way,  47  acres,  at  $75  . . . . . .  3, 525 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  5 . . . . . . .  358, 197 


Section  6: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Rock,  340,557  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50  . . .  851,  393 

Hard  material,  497,450  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . . .  124, 362 

Clay,  90,350  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents  _ _ _ 13, 552 

Gravel,  12,868  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents. . . . . .  1,930 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  6.. . . . . .  991. 237 


Section  7: 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  61,129  cubic  yards,  at  65  ceqts . . . _  39,  734 

Hard  material.  217,969  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents. . .  54, 492 

Clay,  3.404  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . .  511 

Gravel,  595,707  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  89, 356 

Slope  walls,  11,500  square  yards,  at  $1.10 . . . .  12,650 

Right  of  way,  76  acres,  at  $75  . . . . . .  5,700 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  7 .  . . . .  202, 443 


Section  8: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Rock,  1,396,943  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50.  .  3, 492, 357 

Hard  material,  301,827  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  75.457 

Clay,  715,477  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents. .  . . . .  107,322 

Gravel,  236,336  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  35, 450 


412 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Section  8 — Continued. 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  113,888  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents  ..  .  $74,024 

Hard  material,  106.736  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  26, 684 

Gravel,  80,808  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  12, 121 

Right  of  way,  20  acres,  at  $75 - - - - -  1, 500 

Water  power  and  mill  properties .  100,000 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  8 . . .  3, 924, 915 


Section  9: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Rock.  12,230  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50  .. . . . .  30. 575 

Hard  material,  144,100  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  . .  36.025 

Clay,  172,069  cvibic  yards,  at  15  cents  . .  25,810 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  129,515  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . . . - .  84, 185 

Hardpan,  221,494  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents . .  77, 523 

Hard  material,  34,555  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  . . .  8.  639 

Clay,  515,923  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . .  77, 388 

Approaches  to  locks,  docks,  and  cribs — 

Timber — 

Oak,  71,289  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M  . . ..  . .  3,564 

Hemlock,  5,919.868  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M  _ _  136, 157 

Pine,  1,577,428  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M _ _ „  47,323 

Stone  fill.  90.985  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents  . . . . .  54, 591 

Iron  driftbolts,  660,987  pounds,  at  3  cents . .  19,830 

Retaining  walls,  4,490  cubic  yards,  at  $4.. . . .  17,960 

Rock-filled  dam,  88,532  cubic  yards,  at  50  cents . .  44, 266 

Back  fill,  195,878  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents. _ _  48, 969 

Lock  No.  2  (Clarks  Point) . . . . .  864,003 

Lock-operating  machinery . . . .  . . .  100, 000 

Right  of  way,  54  acres,  at  $75 . . . . _  4,050 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  9 . . . . .  1, 680, 858 

Section  10. — The  higher  velocities  occur  off  Goose  Neck  Island  and 
Bradford  Ilill.  The  maximum  observed  velocities  at  these  points  were 
6.8  and  8.8  feet  per  second,  respectively. 

The  estimated  quantities  and  cost  are  as  follows: 

Excavation  under  water:  , 

Rock.  9,750  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50. _  . . . ...  . . . $24,375 

Hard  material.  2,437.748  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents _ _ ..  609,  437 

Excavation  in  the  dry,  on  Dry  Island,  hard  material.  75,720  cubic  yards,  at 

25  cents  . . . . . .  18,930 

Right  of  way,  5  acres,  at  $75 . . . . .  .  375 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  10  . . . . . .  653,117 

It  is  proposed  to  pass  the  swift  water  existing  between  Croills  Island 
and  Cornwall,  including  the  Long  Sault,  with  a  land  canal,  earth  sec¬ 
tion,  leaving  the  St.  Lawrence  at  Richards  Point  and  entering  the 
same  near  the  mouth  of  Grass  River.  The  distance  between  these 
points  is  10.57  miles.  The  maximum  observed  velocity  off  Richards 
Point  below  the  entrance  of  the  proposed  canal  was  4.8  feet  per  sec- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


413 


ond.  A  guard  crib  300  feet  long  at  this  entrance  is  included  in  the 
estimate. 

The  entrance  to  the  St.  Lawrence  Power  Company’s  canal  is  about 
2  miles  below  the  entrance  to  the  proposed  canal.  The  difference  in 
elevation  of  the  water  surface  at  these  entrances  is  3.9  feet. 

The  sectional  area  of  the  St.  Lawrence  Power  Company’s  canal  is 
5,625  square  feet;  average  width,  225  feet;  depth  of  water,  25  feet, 
and  its  mean  velocity  is  estimated  to  be  4.47  feet  per  second  when  its 
maximum  water  power  is  utilized.  It  would  require  a  velocity  of  3.2 
feet  per  second  in  the  proposed  ship  canal  to  supply  the  maximum 
needs  of  the  power  canal.  This  velocity  will  give  a  fall  of  0.5  foot 
between  stations  5075  and  5223.  The  elevation  of  standard  low  water 
at  the  entrance  of  the  proposed  canal  is  205.  At  the  intersection  of 
the  two  canals  it  would  be  204.5.  The  elevation  of  water  at  the 
entrance  to  the  power  canal  is  201.1.  Its  elevation  at  the  intersection 
would  be  200. 1.  An  increased  head  to  the  power  canal  of  4.4  feet 
would  exist  at  the  point  of  intersection.  No  estimate  has  been  made 
of  the  effect  of  this  increased  head  or  of  the  cost  of  controlling  gates 
on  the  power  canal  between  the  proposed  ship  canal  and  the  St.  Law¬ 
rence  River. 

To  reduce  the  velocity  and  aid  navigation  at  the  intersection  of 
these  canals  the  area  of  the  proposed  canal  is  practically  doubled, 
decreasing  to  a  standard  section  1,000  feet  above  the  point  of  inter¬ 
section.  The  yardage  estimated  as  necessary  for  this  purpose  is 
459,330  cubic  yards  more  than  that  required  for  a  standard  section. 

Above  the  lock  for  a  distance  of  9,700  feet  embankments  are  neces¬ 
sary.  The  estimated  yardage  for  this  purpose  is  based  on  an  embank¬ 
ment  50  feet  wide,  2  to  1  slopes,  and  the  top  at  the  same  elevation  as 
the  adjacent  slope  wall.  Its  average  height  is  11  feet,  its  maximum 
height  for  a  short  distance  is  28.5  feet.  The  embankment  will  rest 
upon  a  stratum  of  soft  blue  clay  over  a  portion  of  its  length.  At  such 
points  it  may  be  necessary  to  construct  the  embankment  at  a  safe 
distance  from  the  excavated  prism.  Right  of  way  is  ample  for  such 
modification,  and  the  estimated  quantities  would  remain  unchanged. 

No  rock  exists  at  the  entrance  at  Richards  Point  or  at  the  crossing 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  Power  Company’s  canal,  and  no  separation  has 
been  made  for  the  relatively  small  amount  of  material  to  be  excavated 
under  water. 

The  estimated  quantities  and  cost  of  the  same  for  section  1 L  are  as 


follows : 

Excavation : 

Rock,  187,060  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents  . . . . .  $121, 589 

Hardpan,  6,895,286  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents . . . . .  2, 413, 350 

Hard  material,  3,964,744  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  _ _ _  991,186 

Clay,  8,518,415  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents  . . . . . .  1,277,762 

Sand,  956,364  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents... . . .  143, 455 

Gravel,  610,933  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . .  91, 640 


414 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Excavation — Continued . 

Guard  crib— 

Timber — 

Hemlock.  683,876  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M . .  $15, 718 

Pine.  163,536  feet  B.  M.,at  $30  per  M . . . -  4.906 

Stone  fill,  10,350  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents  . . . .  6, 210 

Iron  drift  bolts,  76,385  pounds,  at  3  cents  _ . . - .  2, 291 

Embankment,  586,927  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  88, 039 

Slope  walls,  212,120  square  yards,  at  $1.10 . . . .  233, 332 

Surface  drainage . .  . . . . - . .  200 

Right  of  way,  1,110  acres,  at  $75 _ _ _  83, 250 

Highways,  4.6  miles,  at  $200  . . . . . . .  920 

Highway  crossing,  steam  ferry - . . - - - -  20, 000 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  11 _ _ _ _  5, 493, 848 


Section  12. — The  lift  of  the  lock  is  47.7  feet  at  standard  low  water. 
The  elevations  of  rock  average  about  2  feet  above  the  grade  of  the 
bottom  of  the  canal  below  the  lock. 

The  high  water  at  Richard’s  Point  is  4  feet,  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  mouth  of  Grass  River  it  is  3.4  feet  above  standard  low  water. 
Ice  jams  will  raise  the  water  at  the  lower  gates  in  exceptional  cases 
nearly  30  feet  above  standard  low  water. 

The  estimated  quantities  and  cost  of  same  are  as  follows: 


Excavation  in  the  dry: 

Rock,  99,810  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . - . ._  $64,876 

Hardpan,  775,043  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents . . .  271,265 

Hard  material,  306,172  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . . . .  76,543 

Clay,  1,100,101  cubic  yards, at  15  cents . . ... . ....  165,015 

Sand,  72,577  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents  _. . . . . . . .  10,886 

Approaches  to  locks,  docks,  and  cribs: 

Timber: 

Oak,  79,680  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M. . . . .  3,984 

Hemlock,  7,016,304  feet  B.M.,  at  $23  per  M _ _ _  161,375 

Pine,  1,778,124  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M . . _ . . .  53,344 

Stone  fill,  115.348  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents  .  _ _ _ ._ _  69, 209 

Iron  drift  bolts,  749,020  pounds,  at  3  cents... . . . . .  22,470 

Lock  No.  3  (Massena)  . . . . . .  . . .  1,667,422 

Lock-operating  machinery _ _ _ _  _ _  100,000 

Back  fill,  488,410  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  122, 103 

Right  of  way,  183  acres,  at  $75. . . . . . .  13,725 

Total  estimated  cost  of  section  12 _ _ _ _ _ _  2, 802, 217 


Section  IS. — Considerable  soft  blue  clay  exists  on  this  section.  The 
maximum  cut  is  79  feet.  Rock  for  slope  walls  is  not  found  in  the 
excavation. 

The  estimated  quantities  and  cost  of  same  are  as  follows: 


Excavation  in  the  dry: 

Hardpan,  1.888,411  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents _ _  $660,944 

Hard  material,  41,473  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  10,  368 

Clay,  6,295,996  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . .  944,399 

Sand,  451,686  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . .  67,753 

Slope  walls.  53,853  square  yards,  at  $1.45 . . . .  78,087 

Right  of  way,  393  acres,  at  $75 _ _ _ _ _  29,475 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  13 . . .  1,791,026 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


415 


Section  1J+. — The  average  width  of  Grass  River  near  its  mouth  is 
600  feet  at  standard  low  water,  or  at  an  elevation  of  157  feet;  at  an 
elevation  of  170  feet,  the  average  width  is  about  850  feet.  When  the 
St.  Lawrence  Power  Compan3T’s  canal  has  been  developed  to  its  maxi¬ 
mum  capacity,  it  will  increase  the  discharge  of  Grass  River  by  25,300 
cubic  feet  per  second.  Polly’s  Gut,  to  the  north  of  the  proposed  sail¬ 
ing  course,  has  an  observed  velocity  of  10  feet  per  second.  The  maxi¬ 
mum  observed  velocity  about  1,000  feet  above  the  New  York  and 
Ottawa  Railway  bridge  was  6.5  feet  per  second.  The  headroom  at 
this  bridge  is  approximately  40  feet  at  standard  low  water. 

Borings  taken  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Regis  Island  and  near  the  sailing 
course  off  Clark’s  Island  indicate  that  hard  material  may  be  encoun¬ 
tered  down  to  Hamilton  Island,  and  that  below  this  island  the  material 
is  sand.  Therefore,  the  classification  of  material  below  Station  5930 


has  been  made  upon  this  basis. 

The  quantities  to  be  excavated  under  water  are: 

Hard  material,  2,007,839  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  . .  $501, 900 

Sand,  1,980,485  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  297, 073 

New  York  and  Ottawa  Railway  bridge . . . . . _  222, 888 


Total  estimated  cost  for  section  14  . . . . . .  1, 021, 921 

SUMMARY  FOR  30-FOOT  CHANNEL. 

Section  1. . - . . . .  $9, 837, 532 

Section  2 . . . . . . : . . .  1,777,270 

Section  3 . . . . . . . .  .  _  1,102,510 

Section  4 . . . . . . . . .  648,763 

Sections .  . . . . . — _  358,197 

Section  6 . 991,237 

Section  7 . 202,443 

Section  8 .  3, 924, 915 

Section  9 .  1,680,858 

Section  10 . .  '53, 117 

Section  11 . 5,493,848 

Section  12 . 2,802,217 

Section  13 _ _ _ _  _ _ _  .  1,791,026 

Section  14 . 1,021,921 


Total . .  .  32, 285, 854 


Note.— The  difference  between  the  total  and  that  given  in  Table  No.  8  is  due  to 
not  carrying  the  mujtiplication  out  further. 

DETAILED  ESTIMATES — 21-FOOT  CHANNEL. 

The  center  line,  the  right  of  way,  the  dams,  and  the  general  river 
improvements  at  the  North  Galops  Channel  and  at  Long  Point  and 
Point  Rockway  are  identical  with  the  same  items  in  the  estimate  of 
the  channel  of  30-foot  depth.  The  principal  exception  to  the  modifi¬ 
cation  of  quantities  caused  by  raising  the  grade  line  9  feet  is  a  canal 
of  25  feet  instead  of  21  feet  depth  from  the  entrance  to  the  land  canal 
at  Richards  Point  down  to  the  intersection  of  the  proposed  canal  with 
the  St.  Lawrence  Power  Company’s  canal.  The  width  at  grade  is  215 


41G 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


feet,  and  its  sectional  area  0,680  square  feet.  This  increase  in  area 
is  made  in  order  to  decrease  the  velocity  through  the  proposed  canal 
when  the  power  canal  is  being  utilized  to  its  full  capacity.  The 
resulting  velocity  in  the  proposed  canal  is  3.78  feet  per  second,  and 
the  fall  from  Richards  Point  to  the  intersection  of  the  two  canals  is 
1  foot. 

This  reduces  the  difference  between  the  grade  lines  of  the  proposed 
canals  of  21  and  30  feet  depth  to  8.5  feet  instead  of  !)  feet  from  the 
intersection  with  the  power  canal  down  to  the  Massena  Valley  lock. 

The  yardage  of  rock  to  be  excavated  in  the  dry  is  not  as  large  as 
will  be  required  for  concrete  masonry,  stone  filling  in  docks  and  cribs, 
and  in  rock-filled  dams  on  sections  1,  2,  and  9.  Considerable  rock, 
classified  under  “Excavation  under  water,”  could  be  excavated  in 
the  dry  by  building  protection  levees.  Also  on  these  sections  rock 
outcroppings  appear  within  short  distances. 

Rock  excavation  on  sections  5  and  7  will  about  equal  the  amount 
of  rock  required  for  slope  walls  and  stone  filling  in  the  guard  crib. 

The  rock  excavation  on  section  11  will  furnish  but  a  small  per  cent 
of  the  amount  required  for  slope  walls  and  lock  construction,  while 
no  rock  exists  in  section  12.  No  rock  outcroppings  were  found  in  the 
vicinity  of  these  sections. 

The  estimated  quantities  and  cost  of  excavation  and  construction 
for  the  various  sections  follow: 


Table  No.  7. — Estimate  21-foot  channel. 

Section  1: 

Excavation  under  water— 

Rock,  921,005  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50  ._ . ' . ...  $2,302,512 

Hard  material,  400.091  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents _ _ _  100, 023 

Clay,  29,292  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . . .  4,394 

Gravel,  49,610  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents _ _ _ _  7, 441 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  3,354  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents  . . . .  . . . .  2, 180 

Hard  material,  100.414  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  25, 104 

Gravel,  6,747  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents. . . . . . . .  1,012 

The  improvement  of  the  North  Galops  Channel,  the  same  as  for 

the  30-foot  channel _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  2, 074, 157 

Rock-filled  dams,  119,444  cubic  yards,  at  50  cents . .  59, 722 

Right  of  way,  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel .  15, 800 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  1  . . . .  4, 592, 345 


Section  2: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Hardpan,  12.200  cubic  yards,  at  $1  . . . . .  ..  12,200 

Hard  material,  32,010  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents _ _ _ _  8,002 

Clay,  96,585  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . . .  14, 488 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  126,544  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . . .  82, 253 

Hardpan,  91.589  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents _ _ _ _  32,056 

Hard  material,  82,122  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  . . .  20,531 

Clay,  45,258  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents  _ _ _ _  6,  788 


DEEP  WATERWAYS.  417 

Section  2 — Continued. 

Approaches  to  locks  (docks)  — 

Timber — 

Oak.  79,680  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M .  $3, 984 

Hemlock,  4,356,320  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M_ .  100, 195 

Pine.  1,606,632  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M  .. .  48, 199 

Stone  fill.  71,716  cubic  yards. at  60  cents . -...  . .  43.010 

Iron  drift  bolts,  535,090  pounds,  at  3  cents . . . .  16,053 

Retaining  walls,  6,233  cubic  yards,  at  $4 . . . .  24. 932 

Rock-filled  dam.  50,046  cubic  yards,  at  50  cents. . . . .  25, 023 

Back  fill,  66,768  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  .  16, 692 

Lock  No.  1  (Sheldon  Island)  . 541,141 

Lock  operating  machinery. .  100,000 

Right  of  wav.  same  as  for  30-foot  channel . .  7, 700 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  2  . . .  1, 103, 267 

Section  3,  same  as  for  30-foot  channel . . . . . . . .  1, 102, 510 

Section  4,  same  as  for  30-foot  channel . . .  648, 763 

Section  5: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Rock.  368  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50  . . .  920 

Hard  material,  25,301  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  6, 325 

Clay,  20,850  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . .  3, 128 

Gravel,  7.965  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . .  1, 195 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  16,493  cubic  yards, at  65  cents . . . .  10,722 

Hard  material,  563,546  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  140,  886 

Clay,  70,005  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  10, 501 

Guard  crib  at  entrance— 

Timber — 

Hemlock,  498,460  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M  .  11, 465 

Pine,  163,536  feet  B.  M..at  $30  per  M  . .  4,906 

Stone  fill,  7,860  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents. .  4, 716 

Iron  drift  bolts,  58,485  pounds,  at  3  cents . .  ..  1.  755 

Slope  walls,  8,125  square  yards,  at  $1.10  . . .  8,937 

Right  of  way,  same  as  for  the  30- foot  channel . . .  3, 525 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  5 . .  208. 981 

Section  6: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Rock,  104,513  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50 . . .  261,282 

Hard  material,  322,999  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  80, 750 

Clay,  16,640  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  2,496 

Gravel,  10,753  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents.. .  1,613 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  6  . .  346, 141 

Section  7: 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  7,745  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents .  . .  5, 034 

Hard  material.  197,880  cubic  yai’ds.  at  25  cents .  49, 470 

Clay,  2,756  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents ..  .  413 

Gravel,  481,258  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . .  72, 189 

Slope  walls,  11.500  square  yards,  at  $1.10 . . .  12,650 

Right  of  way,  same  as  for  30-foot  channel . . .  5,  700 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  7 . . .  145, 456 


H.  Doc.  149 - 27 


418 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Section  8: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Rock,  447,990  cubic  yards,  at  §2-50 . . .  SI,  119.975 

Hard  material,  95,894  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . . .  23, 849 

Clay,  555,395  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . . .  .  83, 309 

Gravel,  153.856  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . -  23,078 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  49,027  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . . .. .  31,868 

Hard  material,  98,516  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents- . ..  24, 629 

Gravel,  74,604  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  11, 191 

Right  of  way,  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel. .  1.  50.) 

Water-power  and  mill  properties,  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel.  100.  OJJ 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  8 . . . .  1. 419, 399 


Section  9: 

Excavation  under  water — 

Rock,  432  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50. . .  1,080 

Hardpan,  52,771  cubic  yards,  at  $1 . . . . . .  52, 771 

Clay,  23,  253  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  3,  488 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  51,446  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . . . .  33.440 

Hardpan,  206.135  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents . . . .  72. 147 

Clay,  402,038  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . .  . .  60, 306 

Approaches  to  locks,  docks,  and  cribs — 

Timber — 

Oak,  19,680  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M .  3,  984 

Hemlock,  5,635,240  feet  B.  M.,at  $23  per  M . .  129. 6 1 1 

Pine,  1,857,504  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M . . .  55, 725 

Stone  till,  95.967  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . . .  57.580 

Iron  drift  bolts,  632,760  pounds,  at  3  cents . .  18,  983 

Rock-filled  dam,  88,532  cubic  yards,  at  50  cents . . .  44,266 

Back  fill.  124,636  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  . .  31. 159 

Lock  No.  2  (Clarks  Point) . . . . _ . .  571,506 

Lock  operating  machinery . .  100, 000 

Right  of  way,  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel . _ .  4.010 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  9 _ .....  .  1, 240.  096 


Section  10: 

Excavation  under  water,  hard  material,  494,765  cubic  yards,  at  25 

cents . . . . . . .  123,691 

Excavation  in  the  dry,  hard  material,  49,120cubic  yards,  at25  cents.  12, 280 
Right  of  way,  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel . . .  375 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  10  .  .  136.  346 


Section  11: 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  14,823  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents  . . .  9.635 

Hardpan,  5,490,943  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents .. .  . .  1, 921, 830 

Hard  material.  3,226,583  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents.  .  806, 646 

Clay.  7,479.665  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  1,121,950 

Sand,  935,842  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  140, 376 

Gravel,  637,275  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  95,591 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


419 


Section  11 — Continued. 

Guard  crib— 

Timber — 

Hemlock,  498,460  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M . . .  $11, 465 

Pine,  163,536  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M .  4. 906 

Stone  fill,  7,860  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . .  4, 716 

Iron  drift  bolts,  58,485  pounds,  at  3  cents. . . .  1, 755 

Embankment,  574,420  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents _ _  86, 163 

Slope  walls,  212.518  square  yards,  at  $1.10 .  233, 770 

Surface  drainage,  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel _ _  200 

Right  of  way.  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel . . .  83, 250 

Highways,  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel . . . .  920 

Highway  crossings,  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel . . .  20, 000 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  11 . . . 

Section  12: 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Rock,  18,888  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . 

Hardpan,  666,739  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents  . . . 

Hard  material,  201,647  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  .. 

Clay,  816,135  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents  . . 

Sand,  71,855  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . 

Approaches  to  locks,  docks,  and  cribs— 

Timber — 

Oak,  79,  680  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M  . . 

Hemlock,  5.393,320  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M. 

Pine,  1,184,664  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M _ 

Stone  fill,  92.120  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents  . . . 

Iron  driftbolts,  608,820  pounds,  at  3  cents _ 

Lock  No.  3  (Massena) . . - . . 

Lock-operating  machinery . . . . 

Back  fill,  399,890  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents _ 

Right  of  way.  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel  _ 


4, 543, 173 


12,277 
233. 358 
50.412 
122. 420 
10,778 


3,  984 
124.046 
35,540 
55. 272 
IS. 264 
1,086.042 
100, 000 
99. 973 
13, 725 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  12 . . . .  1,  966, 091 


Section  13: 

Excavation  in  the  dry — 

Hardpan,  983,931  cubic  yards,  at  35  cents .  344, 376 

Hard  material,  239,485  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  59, 871 

Clay,  5,722,842  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  85S,  426 

Sand,  463,422  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  69, 513 

Slope  walls,  54,100  squar  yards, at  $1.45  . . .  .  . _  78,445 

Right  of  way,  same  as  for  the  30-foot  channel . .  29,  475 


Total  estimated  cost  of  section  13 . . . . . .  1, 440, 106 


Section  Ilf. — From  the  existing  charts  no  excavation  is  found  neces¬ 
sary  for  a  ship  canal  of  21  feet  depth  from  the  end  of  section  13  to 
Station  7283. 


New  York  and  Ottawa  Railway  bridge 


$222. 888 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


420 

SUMMARY  FOR  21-FOOT  CHANNEL. 


Section  1 . . .  . . . .  . .  $4,592,345 

Sec  ion  2 . . - . .  . . . 1,103,267 

Section  3 .  . . . - . . . . .  1,102,510 

Section  4.  _  . . .  ...  .  . _ .  648,  763 

Sections . .  .... . . . - . .  208,981 

Section  6 .  .  . . .  346,141 

Section  7 . . .  .  . . .  145,456 

Section  8 . . . .  . . . ... _ _  1, 419, 399 

Section  9.. . . . . . . .  1,240,096 

Section  10 . . . . .  136,346 

Section  11 . . .  . . . .  4,543,173 

Section  12......  .  . . . .  1,966,091 

Section  13... . . .  . . .  . . .  1,440,106 

Section  14 . . . . .  . .  .  222, 888 


Total . . . . .  . . . . .  19,115,562 

Note. — The  difference  between  the  total  and  that  given  in  Table  No.  9  is  due  to 
not  carrying  the  multiplication  out  farther. 

Tables  Nos.  8  and  9  give  a  summary  of  tjie  quantities  and  costs  of 
the  30  and  21  foot  channels,  respectively. 

Table  No.  10  gives  the  location,  lifts,  and  costs  of  the  various  locks 
for  both  30  and  21  foot  channels. 

Tables  Nos.  11  and  12  give  a  classification  of  the  kinds  of  channels 
of  the  proposed  30  and  21  foot  channels,  respectively. 


Table  No.  8. — Summary  of  quantities  and  cost — 30-foot  channel. 


Classification  of  material. 

Unit  of  quan¬ 
tity. 

Quantities  in  section — 

1. 

9 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

Excavation  under  water : 
Rock . . . . 

Cubic  yards. . 
. do . 

3, 506, 550 

33, 459 
112, 788 
311,926 
89.643 
6, 144 

267, 850 
106,492 
85, 993 
48,911 

’818," 948’ 

61,348 

23,626 

340. 557 

Hardpan . . 

Hard  material . 

. do . 

1,325,388 

1,101,611 

46, 245 
53, 860 
28, 275 

104, 195 

497,450 
90, 350 
12, 868 

Clay . . 

. . . do . 

7, 160 

Gravel . 

. do . 

106, 050 

617, 480 

Excavation  in  the  dry: 
Rock . . 

. do _ 

105,317 

Hardpan . 

680, 631 

'277,' iio" 

Hard  material . 

063,407 

595, 036 

638, 665 
75, 560 

Clay . . 

..  -do . 

'  Gravel . 

. do . 

41,113 

Back  fill . 

. do . 

105, 128 
4,  849 

Retaining  walls  . . . 

_ do .. 

Slope  walls  . . 

Square  yards 

Feet  B.  M  ... 

8, 125 

Docks  and  cribs: 

Oak . 

79, 680 
5, 588, 962 
1,594,432 
88, 441 
652,005 
50, 046 
20 
§6, 2o0 

Hemlock . 

. do . . 

538, 620 
163, 536 
8,400 
62,585 

Pine . 

Stone  fill . 

Cubic  yards. . 

Iron,  driftbolts . 

Pounds  . 

Rock-filled  dams . 

Cubic  yards.. 
Acres _ _ 

119,444 
124 
§6, 500 

Right  of  way . 

36 

37 

47 

Islands  near  Galops . 

DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


421 


Table  No.  8. — Summary  of  quantities  and  cost — 30-foot  channel — Continued. 

Quantities  in  section— 


Classification  of  material. 


Excavation  under  water: 

Rock . 

Hard  material . 

Clay . 

Gravel .  . 

Excavation  in  the  dry: 

Rock . 

Hard  pan . . 

Hard  material . 

Clay . 

Sand . 

Gravel . 

Embankments . 

Back  fill . 

Retaining  walls . . 

Slope  walls . 

Docks  and  cribs: 

Oak  ...  . 

Hemlock . 

Pine . 

Stone  fill. . 

Iron,  driftbolts . 

Highways . 

Ferry  (at  highway  cross¬ 
ing). 

Rock-filled  dams . 

Right  of  way  . . 

Water  power,  etc . 

Drainage . . 


Unit  of  quan¬ 
tity. 


Cubic  yards. 

. do . 

_ do . 

. do . 


_ do . 

_ do . 

_ do . 

. do . 

_ do . 

. do . 

_ do . 

. do . 

. do _  .  . 

Square yards 

Feet  B.  M  — 

_ do . 

. do . 

Cubic  yards.  . 

Pounds  . 

Miles . 


Cubic  yards. 
Acres . 


61,129 


217, 969 
3, 40-1 


595, 707 


11, 500 


8. 


1,396,943 
301,827 
715, 477 
236, 336 

113,883 


106, 736 


80.808 


20 

$100,  ooo 


12,230 
144, 100 
172, 069 


129,515 
221,494 
34, 555 
515, 923 


195, 878 
4, 490 


71.280 
5, 919, 868 
1.577,428 
90, 985 
660. 987 


88,532 

54 


10. 


9, 750 
2,437,748 


11. 


187. 

. '6,895 

75,720  3,964 

. 8,518 

.  956 


610 

586 


060 

286 

744 

415 

:164 

933 

927 


212, 120 


683, 376 
163, 536 
10,350 
76.385 
4.6 
1 


1,110 


$200 


12. 


99,810 
775. 043 
306,172 
l,  100. 101 
72, 577 


488, 410 


79. 680 
7, 016, 8144 
1. 778, 124 
115,348 
749, 020 


■I 


183 


Classification  of  material. 


Excavation  under  water : 

Rock . 

Hardpan . 

Hard  material . 

Clay . - . . . 

Sand . 

Gravel  . . 

Excavation  in  the  dry: 

Rock . . . 

Hardpan. . 

Hard  material . 

Clay . . 

Sand . 

Gravel . 

Embankments . . 

Backfill.... . . 

Retaining  walls . 

Slope  walls . 


Is- 


Docks  and  cribs: 

Oak . . 

Hemlock . 

Pine . 

Stone  fill . . . 

Iron,  driftbolts 
Lock  No.  1  (Sheldon 
land),  operating  ma¬ 
chinery  included. 

Lock  No.  2  (Clarks 
Point),  operating  ma¬ 
chinery  included. 

Lock  No.  3  ( Massena ) ,  op¬ 
erating  machinery  in¬ 
cluded. 

Highways  . 

Ferry  (at  highway  cross¬ 
ing). 

Rock-filled  dams . 

Right  of  way . 

Islands  near  Galops . 

Water  power,  etc . 

Drainage  . . . 

Railroad  bridge . 


Total. 


Unit  of  quan¬ 
tity. 


Cubic  yards. 

. do . . 

. do . 

. do . 

. do . 

. do . 


.do . 

.do . 

.do . 

do _ 

.do . 

.do _ 

.do . 

do _ 

.do _ 


Square  yards 


.M 


Feet  B. 

. do . 

. do . 

Cubic  yards 
Pounds  . 


Miles . 


Cubic  yards. 
Acres . 


Quantities  in  sec¬ 
tion— 


13. 


1,888,411 
41,473 
6, 295, 996 
451, 686 


53.853 


393 


14. 


2, 007,839 


1, 980, 485 


Total 
quantity . 


5,384,463 
931, 736 
8.174.134 

1. 127. 559 
1. 980, 485 

389, 673 

1,686,239 
II 1. 567, 352 
7,030, 470 
16, 835, 420 
1, 480. 627 

1. 328. 560 
586. 1*27 
789,416 

9,  *39 

285.598 

230. 640 
19, 747,  430 
5,277,056 
313. 524 
2,200,982 


4.6 

1 

258.022 
2,105 
$12,700 
100.  (MX) 
$200 
1 


Unit 

price. 


$2. 50 
1.00 
.25 
.15 
.15 
.15 

.  65 
.35 
.25 
.15 
.15 
.  15 
.  15 
.25 
4.  (X) 
l.lo 
1.45 

1  50. 00 
1  23.00 
*  30.  00 
<..00 
.03 


Amount. 


200.00 


.50 

75.00 


$13, 461, 157 
931,736 
2,043. 534 
169,133 
297, 073 
58, 451 

1,096,056 
3, 698, 573 
1, 757, 617 
2,525.313 
222, 094 
199, 284 
88.039 
197, 354 
37 . 356 

333, 006 


11.532 
454. 184 
158,311 
188.114 
66. 929 
916,888 


964,003 
1,767, 422 


920 

20.000 

129.011 
157, 875 
12.700 
100,00(1 
200 

222, 888 

32, 285, 853 


1  Per  1,000  feet. 


422 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Table  No.  9. — Summary  of  quantities  and  cost — ,21-foot  channel. 


Classification  of  material. 

Unit  of  quan¬ 
tity. 

Quantities  in  section — 

1. 

O 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

Excavation  under  water: 

Cubic  yards. . 
. do . 

1,487,913 

61,348 

368 

104,513 

12,200 
32,010 
96, 585 

818,948 

7, 160 

HarcYmaterial . 

Clay  . . 

. do . 

. do . 

626, 896 
29,292 
49, 610 

595,798 

1,101,611 

25,301 

20,850 

7,965 

16,496 

322,999 

16,640 

10,753 

...do . 

Excavation  in  the  dry: 

. do . 

126, 544 
91,589 
82, 122 
45,258 

105,317 

...do . . 

680, 631 

.  do .  _ 

960, 803 

595, 036 

563, 546 
70,005 

...  do . 

277,110 

Gravel . . . 

_ .do . 

6, 747 

Back  fill 

..  .do . 

66, 768 
6, 233 

.do . 

Square  yards 

Feet  B.  M _ 

8,125 

Docks  and  cribs: 

Oak . . . 

79, 680 
4,356,320 
1,606,632 
71, 716 
535,090 
50. 046 
20 

86,200 

Hemlock . 

. do . . 

498, 460 
163, 536 
7, 860 
58, 485 

Pine  . . 

...do . 

Stone  fill 

Cubic  yards.. 

Iron,  driftbolts . 

Pounds  _ 

Rock- filled  dams _ 

Cubic  yards.. 
Acres . 

119,444 
124 
86, 500 

Right  of  way . 

Islands  near  Galops . 

36 

37 

47 

Classification  of  material. 

Unit  of  quan¬ 
tity. 

Quantities  in  section — 

7. 

8.  9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

Excavation  under  water: 
Rock  . . 

Cubic  yards. . 

447,990 

432 
52, 771 

Hardpan . 

..  do _ 

Hard  material . 

_ do  . 

93,394 
555, 395 
153, 856 

49,027 

494, 765 

Clay _ _ 

. do . 

. 

23,253 

Gravel . 

. do . 

Excavation  in  the  dry: 
Rock . . 

. do . 

7, 745 

51, 446 
206, 135 

14,823 
5, 490, 943 
3,226,583 
7,479,665 
9:15,842 
637,275 
574,420 

18, 888 
666, 739 
201, 647 
816, 135 
71, 855 

Hardpan .  _ . . 

. do . 

Hard  material . . 

. do . 

197, 880 
2,  756 

. 

98,516 

49, 120 

Clay.. _  _ . 

. do . 

402, 038- 

Sand  . . . 

_ do._ . 

Gravel . 

. do . 

481,258 

74,604 

Embankments . . 

_ do _ 

Back  fill . . . 

_ do . . . 

124, 636 

399,890 

Slope  walls . 

Square yards 

Feet  B.  M  ... 

11,500 

212,518 

Docks  and  cribs: 

Oak . 

79, 680 

79,680 
5,393.320 
1,184,664 
92, 120 
608, 820 

Hemlock . 

do . 

498, 460 
163, 536 
7,860 
58,485 
4.6 

1 

Pine . 

. do . 

Stone  fill 

Cubic  yards 

95, 967 
632, 760 

Iron  driftbolts _ 

Pounds  _ 

Highways . 

Miles . 

Ferry  (at  highway  cross¬ 
ing). 

Rock  filled  dams . 

Cubic  yards. 

88,532 

54 

Right  of  way . 

Acres  . 

76 

20 

8100,000 

5 

1,110 

183 

Water  power,  etc . 

Drainage  . 

8200 

DEEP  WATERWAYS 


423 


Table  No.  !). — Summary  of  quantities  and  cost — 21-foot  channel — Continued. 


Classification  of  material. 

Unit  of  quan¬ 
tity. 

Quantities  in  sec¬ 
tion— 

Total 

quantity. 

Unit 

price. 

Amount. 

13. 

14. 

Excavation  under  water: 
Rock  . . . . 

Cubic  yards. . 

2, 102,564 
883, 919 
2, 698. 976 
749, 175 
222, 184 

986,084 
8,119,968 
6,214,738 
14,815,809 
1.471,119 
1, 199, 884 
574, 420 
591,294 
6,233 

286, 243 

239, 040 
16,381.800 
4,975,872 
275, 523 
1,893,640 

$2. 50 
1.00 
.25 
.15 
.15 

:S 

.25 
.  15 
.15 
.  15 
.15 
.25 
4.00 
f  1.10 
l  1.45 

>50. 00 
123.00 

$5,256,410 
883, 919 
674,  744 
112.376 
33, 327 

640, 954 
2, 841,988 
1, 553, 684 
2.222,371 

Hardpan . . 

. do  . . . 

Hard  material . 

. do . 

Clay  . . . . 

. do  . . 

Gravel . 

. do . 

Excavation  in  the  dry: 
Rock  .. 

. do . 

Hardpan . _ . 

. do . . 

983,931 
239, 485 
5,722,842 
463, 422 

Hardmaterial . 

Clay  . 

. do . 

. do . 

. 

Sand . . . 

. do . . 

220,667 
179, 982 
86, 163 
147, 823 
24,932 

|  3:53, 802 

11,952 
376.  781 

Gravel  . 

. do . 

Embankments . 

. do . . 

Back  fill . 

. do . 

Retaining  walls  . 

_ _ do . 

Slope  walls  ...  . 

Square  yards 

Feet  B.  M . 

54, 100 

Docks  and  cribs: 

Oak . 

Hemlock  . . 

. do . 

Pine . . . 

. do . 

>30.  (Kl  149.276 

Stone  fill _ _ 

Cubic  yards. . 

.  60 
.03 

165,314 
56, 809 
641,141 

671 , 506 

1,186,042 

920 

20,000 

129,011 
157, 875 
12, 700 
100,000 
200 

222, 888 

Iron  driftbolts,- . 

Pounds  . 

Lock  No.  1  (Sheldon  Is¬ 
land),  operating  ma¬ 
chinery  included. 

Lock  No.  3  (Clarks 
Point),  operating  ma¬ 
chinery  included. 

Lock  No.  3  (Massena), 
operating  machinery  in¬ 
cluded. 

Highways . . . . 

Miles . 

4.6 

1 

258, 022 
2. 105 
12. 700 
$100,000 
$200 

1 

200.00 

Ferry  (at  highway  cross¬ 
ing)- 

Rock-filled  dams . 

Cubic  yards  . . 

..50 
$75. 00 

Right  of  way  -  - 

393 

Islands  near  Galops . 

Water  power,  etc  . 

Drainage  . . 

Railroad  bridge _ 

1 

Total  . . 

19,115,557 

JPer  1,000  feet. 


Table  No.  10. 


No.  of 
lock. 

Location. 

Station. 

Kind. 

Elevation  (stand¬ 
ard  low  water). 

Lift,  in 
feet. 

Length 
of  level, 
in  miles. 

Above. 

Below. 

1 . 

Sheldon  Island . . 

3779 

4372 

5508 

Single.... 

.  -do 

212.7 
225.  7 
204.5 

233.0 
213. 9 
156. 8 

9.7 
11.8 
47. 7 

Clarks  Point . 

11.2 

21.5 

3 . 

Massena . 

_ do _ 

Cost  of  locks. 


No.  of  lock. 

30-foot  21-foot 

channel.  channel. 

Operating 

machinery 

1 . . 

$816, 888 
864, 003 
1,667, 422 

$541,141 
471, 506 
1,086,042 

$100, 000 
100, 000 
100,000 

3 . 

Total . . . . . . 

3,348,313 

300,000 

2, 198,689 
300, 000 

300,000 

Operating  machinery . . 

Total  cost . . . 

3,648,313 

2, 498, 689 

Stations  showing  location  of  head  of  locks,  as  given  in  Table  No.  10,  are  for  the  30-foot  channel. 
The  location  of  the  locks  for  the  31-foot  channel  does  not  correspond  exactly  with  the  locks  of 
the  30-foot  channel. 


424 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Classification  of  channel,  30-foot  depth. 


Station. 

Open 

water. 

Improved 

river. 

Canal,  Lock  and 
earth  sec-  ap- 

tion.  proaches. 

From— 

To- 

o  . 

3481 . . 

348,100 

34H1 

1,700 

3572. . 

7, 400 

3570 

3762  +  29  . . 

19, 029 

3762+29 

3802 . 

3,971 

3809 

3819  . 

. . 

1,700 

3819 

3, 700 

3850  . 

3885  . . 

2.900 

3885 

11,400 

3909  . 

4066  . . 

6, 700 

4066  . - . 

4200 . 

14, 000 

4*>06  . . 

4213  . 

700 

4‘>]3  . 

4229 

1,600 

4 '>29  . 

4257 

2,800 

4257  . 

4278 . . 

. 

2, 100 

4*>7S  . 

4350+10. . . . 

7, 810 

4350+10 

4395  +  81. . 

3,971 

4395+81  . 

4460- . 

6, 419 

. 

44H0  . 

4470 . 

1,000 

4470 

4481  . 

1,100 

4481  . 

4490 . 

900 

4490  . . . 

4610 . . 

12,000 

4610  . . . 

4020. . 

1,600 

4643... . 

1,700 

46413 . 

4721... . 

7,800 

4721  . . 

4700 . . . . . 

3, 900 

4760  . 

4910 . 

15,600 

4916 

4933  . 

1,700 

4933 

12,200 

5Q55  . 

5075  . . 

2,000 

5075  . 

5490+60 . . 

41,560 

5490+00 

5532  +31 . 

4,171 

55:r>+31 

5633 

10,069 

563:}  . 

200 

5635  . 

566S  . - . 

3,300 

5674  . . 

600 

5682 . . . 

800 

5082 

1,300 

5695  . - 

5702 . 

700 

5762 . 

5717 . 

1,500 

5717 

5831  . 

11,400 

5^31 

5844 . . . . . 

1,300 

5844  . 

5851  . . . 

700 

5851  _ 

5872..'... . 

2, 100 

5872  . 

5885 . . . 

1,300 

5885 

800 

5909  . 

1,600 

5909  . . 

5932 . . . . 

2,300 

5955 

2.300 

5955 . . . . 

5983  . 

2,800 

5983 

6204  . 

22. 100 

0204 . . . . 

6240 . . . . 

3, 600 

6240 . . . . 

6268  . .• _ 

2,800 

626^  - 

6288 

2,000 

6288  .. 

6327  . 

3,900 

6327 

4,300 

6370 . 

800 

6378 . 

6388  . 

1,000 

6388 . 

6, 500 

1,100 

6404 . 

6473 . 

900 

6473 . 

6482  . 

900 

6482 .  . 

6630  . 

14,800 

6703 . 

7,300 

6703 . . . 

6975 . 

27,200 

6975...'. . 

7010 

3,500 

7010 . . 

7016 . 

600 

7010 . 

7028  . 

1,200 

7028 . 

7083 . 

25, 500 

Total  feet . 

550,900 

104.34 

109, 958 
20.82 

55,329 
10. 48 

12.113 
2  30 

Total  miles . 

DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


425 


Classification  of  channel,  21-foot  depth. 


Station. 

Open 

water. 

Improved 

river. 

Canal 
earth  sec¬ 
tion. 

Lock  and 
ap¬ 
proaches. 

From— 

To- 

0 . 

357, 400 

3574 . * . 

3763  +  29 . 

i8, 929 

3763  +  29 . 

3801  +  30 . 

3,801 

3801  +  30 . 

5,470 

3885  . . 

2,900 

3885 . . . . 

3999  . . 

11,400 

3999  _ _ _ _ 

4066 . 

6, 700 

4066 . . . 

4209  . 

14, 300 

4209 . 

4213  . 

400 

4213 . . 

f>->9  . 

1,600 

4229 

2,800 

4257. 

4278 

2, 100 

4278 . 

4348  . 

7,000 

4348  . 

4362  + 10 . 

1.410 

4362  + 10 

4400  +  11 

3,801 

4400  +  11 . 

4455  ' . . . 

5, 489 

4455  . . 

4531 

7, 600 

5431 . . . 

400 

4535 . . 

3,400 

4569 . . . 

900 

4578 . . . 

4726  . 

14, 600 

4748 . 

2,200 

4748 . . . 

4916 . 

16,800 

4916 . 

4919 

300 

13.600 

5055.... . 

5062 . . 

700 

5062 . . 

300 

5065 . 

1,000 

5075 

5491  +60 

41,660 

5491  +  60 

4,001 

5531  +61  . 

10. 139 

5633 . . . 

72S)  .. 

105. 000 

Total  feet .  _ . 

611,480 

115.81 

49, 718 
9.  42 

55. 499 
10.51 

11.603 

2.20 

Total  miles _ 

In  conclusion,  Edw.  B.  Hitchcock,  Glenn  D.  Holmes,  instrument 
men;  Charles  F.  Howe  and  George  A.  Hammond,  superintendents  of 
borings,  and  John  Y.  Bayliss,  George  D.  Williams,  and  William  P. 


Boright,  recorders,  should  be  mentioned. 

I  would  acknowledge  the  favors  extended  and  the  information  fur¬ 
nished  by  Mr.  Tom  S.  Rubidge,  superintending  engineer  of  the  St. 
Lawrence  district,  Cornwall,  Ontario,  regarding  Canadian  gauge  read¬ 
ings  and  soundings  through  a  portion  of  Lake  St.  Francis. 

Very  respectfully, 

J.  W.  Beardsley. 

Assistant  Engineer. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  12. 

CHAMPLAIN  ROUTE,  NORTHERN  DIVISION. 

Detroit,  Mich.,  July  27 ,  1899. 

Gentlemen:  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  in 
regard  to  the  surveys  and  estimates  of  the  cost  of  a  ship  canal 
between  Lake  Champlain  and  the  St.  Lawrence  River 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


426 

A  study  of  maps  of  the  region  between  Lake  Champlain  and  the  St. 
Lawrence  River  in  the  State  of  New  York  shows  the  country  to  be 
mountainous  and  entirely  impracticable  for  a  ship  canal. 

The  country  immediately  north  of  the  international  boundary  line 
is  quite  high  and  rolling,  with  deep  valleys.  The  drainage  of  this 
region  is  to  the  north  and  northeast.  The  most  important  topo¬ 
graphical  features  are  a  series  of  nearly  parallel  glacial  valleys,  with 
ridges  of  rock  between,  running  nearly  north  and  south  in  the  eastern 
portion,  but  swinging  to  about  northeast  and  southwest  as  the  St. 
Lawrence  is  approached. 

At  a  distance  of  about  10  miles  north  of  the  boundary  line  the  hills 
break  down  and  the  country  becomes  generally  level. 

In  the  hilly  country  adjacent  to  the  boundary  line,  and  about  10 
miles  west  of  the  village  of  Champlain,  N.  Y.,  are  found  the  head¬ 
waters  of  the  Chazy  River,  which  empties  into  Kings  Bay,  Lake  Cham¬ 
plain  ;  the  La  Colle  River,  which  flows  a  little  north  of  east  and  empties 
into  the  Richelieu  River;  the  Little  Montreal  River,  which  flows  first 
north,  then  northeast,  and  empties  into  the  Richelieu  River;  Norton 
Creek,  which  flows  parallel  to  and  about  2  miles  west  of  the  Little 
Montreal  for  about  10  miles,  where  it  turns  to  the  west  and  empties 
into  the  English  River,  which  flows  nearly  northwest  and  empties  into 
the  Chateauguay  River. 

A  careful  examination  of  the  country  bounded  on  the  north  by  Nor¬ 
ton  Creek,  south  by  the  international  boundary  line,  east  by  Norton 
Creek,  and  west  by  the  Chateauguay  River  showed  that  there  was 
no  practicable  line  for  a  canal  south  of  Norton  Creek. 

From  a  point  on  Norton  Creek  near  Aubrey  Station  to  the  St.  Law¬ 
rence  River  at  Lake  St.  Francis  the  country  is  in  general  a  plain,  much 
of  the  distance  below  the  level  of  Lake  St.  Francis.  About  midway 
between  these  points  is  the  valley  of  the  Chateauguay  River,  which 
is  40  feet  below  the  level  of  Lake  St.  Francis. 

A  line  drawn  from  the  mouth  of  the  Chazy  River  to  a  point  on 
Norton  Creek  where  it  turns  to  the  west  was  found  to  pass  near  low 
divides  between  the  heads  of  adjacent  streams  and  to  offer  a  practica¬ 
ble  route.  This  is  essentially  the  route  suggested  by  the  commission 
of  189(3. 

From  Aubrey  to  Lake  St.  Francis  the  route  suggested  by  the  com¬ 
mission  of  1896  did  not  appear  to  be  the  best,  inasmuch  as  it  kept  to 
the  north,  getting  on  ground  so  low  that  embankments  from  15  to  25 
feet  in  height  would  be  required  for  many  miles.  On  this  account  it 
was  thought  best  to  keep  farther  south  and  get  on  higher  ground. 

Standard  low  water  in  Lake  St.  Francis,  which  is  practically  low 
water  during  season  of  navigation,  is  152.39  feet  above  mean  tide  at 
New  5  ork.  The  summit  level  for  the  canal  has  therefore  been  taken 
as  152.4,  and  an  effort  made  to  keep  on  ground  which  would  give 
embankments  of  reasonable  height.  From  Aubrey  to  Ormstown  the 
country  immediately  adjoining  the  plains  is  a  solid  mass  of  rock  at 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


427 


an  elevation  of  220  feet  or  more.  The  surveys  were  kept  as  close  to 
this  rock  as  practicable.  From  Aubrey  to  Champlain  the  country  is 
all  above  the  level  of  the  lake,  and  the  line  was  kept  on  the  lowest 
ground. 

The  surveys  have  been  made  with  a  degree  of  care  commensurate 
with  the  importance  of  the  work,  and  in  accordance  with  the  “General 
instructions  to  held  parties”  (Appendix  No.  0). 

The  levels  were  run  in  one  direction  and  checked  in  the  reverse 
direction.  The  limit  of  error  allowed  was 

C=0.05  feet  x  V distance  in  miles. 

The  error  was  not  allowed  to  exceed  this  amount,  either  for  the  whole 
or  any  part  of  the  line. 

The  levels  were  started  from  the  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic 
Survey  bench  mark  on  the  Chapman  Block  at  Rouse  Point,  N.  Y., 
with  an  elevation  of  110.00.  The  field  maps  and  profiles  have  all  been 
referred  to  this  datum.  A  later  determination  of  the  elevation  of 
this  bench  mark,  made  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  C.  L.  Harrison, 
gives  the  elevation  above  mean  tide  in  New  York  Harbor  as  108.95, 
when  referred  to  the  bench  mark  at  Greenbush,  N.  Y.,  with  an  eleva¬ 
tion  of  14.73.  All  elevations  used  in  this  report  will  be  referred  to 
the  later  datum. 

At  Valleyfield  connection  was  made  with  a  bench  mark  on  lock 
No.  14,  Beauharnois  Canal,  established  by  Mr.  Thomas  Monro  in 
1891,  by  a  line  of  levels  brought  across  from  the  Chapman  Block 
bench.  Our  elevation  wras  0.121  foot  higher  than  his. 

From  one  of  our  benches  near  St.  Stanislas  we  carried  a  line  of 
levels  to  Hogansburg,  N.  Y.,  to  connect  with  a  bench  mark  which 
had  previously  been  established  by  Mr.  David  Molitor. 

Wherever  the  country  seemed  to  offer  a  choice  of  locations,  alternate 
lines  were  run  and  the  topography  developed. 

The  original  base  line  between  Ormstown  and  Lake  St.  Francis  wTas 
run  via  St.  Stanislas.  An  alternate  line  beginning  about  2  miles 
west  of  Ormstown  was  run  to  the  lake,  a  distance  of  9.3  miles.  This 
line  is  the  one  used  for  the  location.  Another  line  beginning  about 
4  miles  east  of  Ormstown  was  run  to  the  lake,  a  distance  of  13 
miles.  This  line  kept  to  the  north  of  the  other  lines  on  lower  ground, 
and  the  embankment  was  found  to  be  excessive.  On  this  account  no 
topography  was  taken.  For  most  of  the  distance  it  was  outside  the 
limits  of  the  maps  and  is  not  shown. 

The  total  length  of  base  line  run  and  leveled  was  74.51  miles. 

In  addition  to  this  a  stadia  line  about  9  miles  long  was  run, 
and  topography  taken  to  develop  what  is  known  as  the  “  Bogtown 
line.”  It  was  thought  that  this  line  would  give  less  rock  excavation 
than  the  base-line  route,  but  this  proved  not  to  be  the  case. 

The  proposed  location  of  the  canal  in  Lakes  Champlain  and  St. 
Francis  was  covered  by  soundings.  These  soundings  are  reduced  to 
elevations  above  mean  tide  at  New  York.  They  were  carried  out  to 


428 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


a  point  such  that  the  elevation  of  the  bottom  was  well  below  that 
of  the  established  grade.  The  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic  charts 
of  Lake  Champlain  and  the  Canadian  charts  of  the  northern  end  of 
Lake  St.  Francis,  furnished  by  Mr.  Thomas  Monro,  together  with  a 
line  of  soundings  from  the  southern  end  of  the  Canadian  chart  to 
Cherry  Island,  show  a  sufficient  depth  of  water  along  the  sailing  line. 

Borings  to  determine  the  character  of  the  materials  to  be  excavated 
have  been  made  at  intervals  of  1,000  feet  or  less  on  all  lines  projected 
and  covering  a  width  of  from  half  a  mile  to  a  mile.  These  have  in  all 
cases  been  carried  to  rock  or  to  the  proposed  bottom  of  the  canal. 
Samples  of  the  materials  from  all  holes  have  been  preserved  and 
properly  labeled  for  identification. 

In  all  1,387  borings  were  made.  In  addition  to  these,  four  diamond- 
drill  borings  have  been  made  to  determine  the  character  of  the  rock. 
These  holes  were  located  as  follows : 

No.  1,  near  station  9904  of  the  proposed  canal  location. 

No.  2,  near  station  9348  of  the  proposed  canal  location. 

No.  3,  near  station  9075  of  base  line,  at  Holton  Station,  on  the 
Canadian  Atlantic  Railway. 

No.  4,  near  station  810G  of  canal  location  at  the  crossing  of  the 
Chateauguay  River. 

A  report  of  these  borings  has  been  submitted,  in  Appendix  No.  19, 
by  Mr.  R.  C.  Smith,  under  whose  direction  they  were  made. 

CONDITIONS  GOVERNING  THE  LOCATION. 

Lake  Champlain. — The  lowest  water  ever  recorded  in  Lake  Cham¬ 
plain  was  on  October  12, 1880,  when  the  reading  on  the  gauge  was  0.14. 
(Appendix  No.  7,  Report  of  the  United  States  Coast  and  Geodetic 
Survey,  1887,  p.  170.)  The  zero  of  the  gauge  is  93.501,  and  low  water 
93.3G1.  The  Coast  Survey  report  gives  the  elevation  of  the  zero  of  the 
gauge  as  94.53. 

I  had  a  line  of  levels  run  from  the  Chapman  Block  bench  to  zero  of 
gauge  and  checked  by  reverse  running,  the  two  agreeing  within  0.028 
foot.  Using  the  mean  of  the  two  runnings,  the  elevation  of  the  zero 
of  the  gauge  as  compared  with  the  Chapman  Block  bench  is  94.61,  or 
0.08  foot  higher  than  the  elevation  as  given  by  the  Coast  Survey. 
Applying  the  correction  of  1.109  to  reduce  to  Greenbush  bench,  our 
elevation  of  the  zero  becomes  93.501,  as  stated,  and  low  water  93.361. 
The  highest  water  recorded  appears  to  have  been  on  May  4,  1869. 
This  was  prior  to  any  records  being  kept  at  Fort  Montgomery.  It  was 
recorded  at  the  railroad  bridge  of  the  Central  Vermont  Railroad  at 
Rouse  Point,  and  is  given  as  being  9.25  feet  above  low  water  of  Octo¬ 
ber  12,  1880  (Report  of  United  States  Deep  Waterways  Commission, 
1896,  p.  124),  making  extreme  high  water  102.611. 

This  elevation  appears  to  be  well  authenticated. 

Lake  SI.  Francis. — The  report  of  the  Canadian  Deep  Waterways 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


429 


Commission  gives,  on  the  authority  of  Thomas  Monro,  esq.,  member 
of  the  commission  and  engineer  of  the  Soulanges  Canal: 

Extreme  low  water,  November,  1895,  151.88— 0.988  =  150.892. 

Extreme  high  water,  150.80—0.988  =  155.812. 

The  correction  of  0.988  was  arrived  at  as  follows: 

At  Valle}' field  our  levels  were  0.121  foot  higher  than  the  bench  mark 
established  by  Mr.  Monro,  which  being  subtracted  from  1.109,  the  cor¬ 
rection  for  Rouse  Point  bench,  gives  0.988  foot. 

The  elevations  of  some  of  the  principal  points  will  be  given  below 


for  more  convenient  reference: 

Bench  mark  on  Chapman  block,  Rouse  Point . . .  108.951 

Bench  mark.  United  States  Engineers,  Fort  Montgomery  . . . .  94.998 

Upper  miter  sill,  lock  No.  1,  St.  Johns1  -  -  ..  . . .  86.278 

Zero  of  United  States  Engineers'  gauge,  Fort  Montgomery .  93.501 

High  water,  Lake  Champlain . . .  102.611 

Low  water,  Lake  Champlain  . - . . . . .  93.361 

High  water,  Lake  St.  Francis . - . . . . 155.812 

Low  water.  Lake  St.  Francis  . . . . .  .  150.892 

Standard  low  water,  Lake  St.  Francis  .  152. 390 

Bench  mark  on  lock  No.  14.  Valleyfield . . . . .  .  . .  155.682 

Datum  plane  for  Coast  Survey  charts,  Lake  Champlain . . .  93.861 


In  order  to  lessen  the  excavation  between  Whitehall  and  Albany, 
as  well  as  the  dredging  in  Lake  Champlain,  it  is  desirable  to  keep 
the  lake  at  as  high  an  elevation  as  practicable.  For  this  reason  it 
was  directed  by  the  Board  that  estimates  be  based  on  maintaining 
the  low-water  stage  of  Lake  Champlain  at  an  elevation  of  100  feet 
above  mean  tide  at  New  York  by  regulating  works  near  the  foot  of 
the  lake. 

It  would  not  be  practicable  to  raise  the  level  of  Lake  St.  Francis, 
nor  would  it  be  desirable  to  increase  the  height  of  the  embankments 
across  the  yalley  of  the  Chateauguay  River  and  the  Aubrey  Plains. 

The  elevation  of  water  surface  in  the  summit  level  has,  therefore, 
been  fixed  at  152.4,  which  is  the  elevation  of  standard  low  water  in 
Lake  St.  Francis. 

As  the  difference  between  high  and  low  water  in  Lake  St.  Francis 
is  4.92  feet,  a  guard  lock  at  the  entrance  of  the  canal  will  be 
necessary. 

As  before  stated,  it  is  desirable  to  regulate  the  surface  of  Lake 
Champlain  so  that  it  will  not  fall  below  100  and  at  the  same  time 
not  go  materially  above  the  present  high-water  mark  of  102.61.  By 
putting  a  dam  across  from  Stony  Point  to  Windmill  Point  and  mak¬ 
ing  the  crest  of  the  dam  100  the  surface  would  be  maintained  at  100 

'The  elevation  of  the  miter  sill  is  given  in  the  report  of  the  Deep  Waterways 
Commission  for  1896  as  87.41.  This  appears  to  be  an  error.  Mr.  R.  Steckel.  engi¬ 
neer  in  charge  of  the  Canadian  geodetic  leveling,  gives  it  as  7.22  feet  below  the  zero 
of  the  United  States  Engineers’  gauge  at  Fort  Montgomery.  The  zero  of  this  gauge 
as  used  by  the  commission  was  94.53,  giving  87.31  for  the  level  of  the  lock  sill,  or 
86.278  when  reduced  to  the  Greenbush  datum. 


430 


DEEP  WATER W AYS. 


or  more,  provided  the  inflow  during  t he  dry  season  was  sufficient  to 
supply  the  evaporation  and  the  minimum  amount  now  flowing  in  the 
Richelieu  River.  As  the  Chainbly  Canal  takes  its  water  from  the 
river,  and  as  there  are  valuable  power  plants  at  Chainbly,  the  regular 
flow  of  the  river  could  not  be  interfered  with. 

The  report  of  the  United  States  Deep  Waterways  Commission  for 
1896  shows  the  monthly  mean  of  water  levels  above  the  zero  of  the 
United  States  Engineers’  gauge  at  Fort  Montgomery  for  the  years  1871 
to  1895,  inclusive.  Col.  J.  N.  Barlow,  Corps  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  Army, 
furnished  the  daily  record  at  the  same  place  from  January,  1896,  to 
May,  1899,  inclusive. 

The  record  of  the  daily  fluctuations  for  twenty-seven  years  at  lock 
No.  1,  St.  Johns,  Province  of  Quebec,  was  obtained  from  Ernest 
Marceau,  superintendent  engineer  of  railways  and  canals,  Montreal, 
Canada.  Information  was  also  furnished  by  Mr.  P.  P.  Benoit,  super¬ 
intendent  of  the  Chambly  Canal. 

A  study  of  these  records  for  many  years  shows  that  the  lake  is  ris¬ 
ing  from  November  to  May,  inclusive,  and  falling  from  June  to  Octo¬ 
ber,  inclusive.  During  the  months  of  August,  September,  and  October 
the  lake  appears  to  fall  on  the  average  about  0.25  foot  per  month,  and 
the  river  appears  to  be  drawing  on  the  reservoir  supply  in  the  lake  to 
a  certain  extent.  A  fall  of  0.25  foot  per  month  over  the  area  of  the 
lake  would  furnish  a  supply  of  about  1,000  cubic  feet  per  second. 
Thus  it  would  seem,  in  order  to  supply  the  present  flow  and  maintain 
the  lake  at  a  constant  level  during  the  months  of  August,  September, 
and  October,  a  supply  of  1,000  cubic  feet  per  second  would  have  to  be 
supplied  through  the  canal  from  the  St.  Lawrence  River.  In  addi¬ 
tion  to  this,  enough  would  have  to  be  drawn  from  the  St.  Lawrence 
to  supply  the  water  needed  to  operate  the  upper  portion  of  the  canal 
from  Whitehall  to  Albany.  As  the  sectional  area  of  the  canal  is 
about  7,500  square  feet,  this  could  not  create  a  current  of  more  than 
a  half  to  three-quarters  of  a  foot  per  second,  which  would  not  be 
objectionable. 

Plate  91  shows  the  general  location  and  details  of  the  proposed 
regulating  works.  At  Stony  Point  and  at  Windmill  Point  there  are 
outcrops  of  rock  which  is  said  to  be  UJica  shale.  At  Windmill  Point 
the  rock  appears  to  be  close  to  the  surface  for  some  distance  back 
from  the  point.  Between  Stony  Point  and  the  mainland  there  is  a 
swamp,  in  which  borings  showed  mud  5  feet  deep  and  clay  57  feet 
without  striking  rock.  On  the  mainland  a  short  distance  to  the  west 
rock  is  found  in  wells  at  an  elevation  of  about  100. 

The  borings  show  a  stratum  of  clay  extending  from  Stony  Point  to 
Windmill  Point.  As  the  head  on  the  dam  would  never  exceed  about 
7  feet,  a  crib  dam  founded  on  this  clay  stratum  would  undoubtedly 
be  perfectly  safe.  A  lock  and  sluices  can  be  put  in  on  rock  founda¬ 
tions  at  Stony  Point. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


481 


As  the  Canadian  government  is  enlarging  its  canals  to  a  depth  of  14 
feet,  with  locks  42  by  280  feet,  the  lock  would  probably  have  to  be  of 
the  same  dimensions  in  order  to  accommodate  their  traffic  on  the 
Richelieu  River.  Between  Stony  Point  and  the  mainland  an  earth 
embankment  would  be  perfectly  safe.  The  details  and  estimate  of 
cost  of  the  Champlain  regulating  works  are  given  in  Appendix  No.  8. 


I  have  secured  the  following  gauging  of  the  Richelieu  River: 

October  16,  1862,  by  Mr.  Charles  Legge;1  measurement  near  St.  Johns: 

Discharge  in  cubic  feet  per  second _ ... . . 4, 257 

September  10,  1894,  by  Mr.  Henry  Holgate;2  measurement  near  St.  Johns: 

Reading  of  gauge  at  St.  Johns  .  . ... . . . .  7.58 

Surface  of  water  at  St.  Johns  above  tide  . . .  .  93. 85 

Discharge  in  cubic  feet  per  second  _ ... . .  6, 390 

August  22, 1895,  by  Mr.  Cecil  B.  Smith;* * 5  measurement  near  St.  Johns: 

Reading  of  gauge  at  St.  Johns  . - . - . .  7.67 

Surface  of  water  at  St.  Johns  above  tide . .. . 93. 94 

Discharge  in  cubic  feet  per  second . _ _ _ _  6. 102 

October  17.  1895.  by  Prof.  C.  H.  McLeod:’  measurement  near  St.  Johns: 

Reading  of  gauge  at  St.  Johns  . _  1 . . . - . . .  7.00 

Surface  of  water  at  St.  Johns  above  tide . . . . 93. 27 

Discharge  in  cubic  feet  per  second .  . . . .  3, 750 

1895.  by  Shanly  and  Quirk;1  measurement  near  St.  Johns: 

Discharge  in  cubic  feet  per  second . . 7,000 


I  have  not  been  able  to  get  the  date  of  this,  but  the  water  is 
reported  to  have  been  at  about  the  same  stage  as  when  measured  by 
Messrs.  Ilolgate  and  Smith. 

April  28,  1899.  by  J.  W.  Macklin;  weir  measurement  at  dam  of  Chambly 


Power  Company,  Chambly,  Quebec: 

Length  of  weir  . . . . .  . . .  . . . feet..  1,625 

Depth  of  water  on  weir  measured  to  surface  of  still  water  above  .  ..do...  3. 20 

Reading  of  gauge  at  St.  Johns . . . . . .  11.75 

Surface  of  water  at  St.  Johns  above  tide .  .  99. 13 


Discharge  in  cubic  feet  per  second,  as  computed  by  Mr.  Macklin  (pass¬ 
ing  over  weir).  ...  . . . .  . .  29,050 

Add  passing  through  sluice  to  mill .  800 


Total . . .  .  29, 850 


At  the  time  the  above  gauging  was  made  there  was  no  wind  and  t  lie 
river  had  been  at  about  the  same  stage  for  several  days.  This  is 
probably  near  a  high-water  discharge. 

The  gaugings  by  Messrs.  Holgate  and  Smith  were  made  with  tubes 
weighted  so  as  to  float  vertically  and  reaching  nearly  to  the  bottom 
with  but  little  projecting  above  the  water.  That  by  Professor  Mc¬ 
Leod  was  made  with  an  “Amsl.er  mechanical  meter.” 


1  Furnished  by  Ernest  Marceau.  esq.,  engi  neer  of  railways  and  canals.  Montreal 

Canada. 

5  Furnished  by  Mr.  J.  W.  Macklin.  engineer  of  the  Chambly  Power  Company. 


/ 


432 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  low-water  measurements  are  somewhat  discordant  and  hard  to 
reconcile,  as  there  was  only  a  difference  of  0.67  foot  between  the  read¬ 
ings  of  the  gauge  when  the  difference  was  greatest.  As  the  river  near 
St.  Johns  has  a  width  of  about  1,200  feet  and  a  mean  depth  of  12  to  13 
feet,  a  variation  of  0.67  foot  ought  not  to  make  so  great  a  difference 
as  is  shown  by  the  measurements. 

Lochs. — A  lock  with  a  lift  of  52.4  feet  has  been  located  about  4 
miles  from  Lake  Champlain  and  just  southeastof  the  village  of  Cham¬ 
plain.  At  this  point  rock  is  found  at  an  elevation  of  110,  giving  a 
rock  foundation  with  the  lower  40  feet  in  rock. 

If  it  should  be  thought  best  to  substitute  two  locks  with  lifts  of  26.2 
feet  each,  the  lower  lock  can  be  put  about  6,500  feet  farther  east  on 
rock  foundation.  The  cost  would  probably  be  about  the  same  in 
either  case,  but  the  single  lock  possesses  the  advantage  of  less  deten¬ 
tion  and  will  somewhat  simplify  the  passing  of  the  water  supply  for 
Lake  Champlain.  In  the  event  of  one  lock  being  used,  the  water  can 
be  taken  out  above  the  lock  and  discharged  into  the  Chazy  River  after 
being  used  to  generate  power  for  operating  the  lock,  etc.  The  esti¬ 
mates  were  made  for  a  canal  with  only  one  look  at  this  point. 

As  high  water  in  Lake  St.  Francis  is  3.4  feet  above  standard  low 
water,  a  guard  lock  with  a  maximum  lift  of  3.4  feet  will  be  necessary 
near  the  entrance  to  the  canal.  A  favorable  location  has  been  selected 
at  a  point  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  lake,  where  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  rock  has  an  elevation  of  140. 

A  by-pass  of  sufficient  dimensions  to  pass  4,000  to  5,000  cubic  feet 
per  second  will  have  to  be  constructed  around  this  lock.  The  power 
for  operating  the  lock  can  conveniently  be  brought  from  a  power 
house  located  at  the  crossing  of  the  Chateauguay  River,  where  a  head 
of  30  feet  would  be  available. 

Receiving  weirs. — At  the  crossing  of  the  Chazy  River  above  Cham¬ 
plain  the  surface  of  the  water  in  the  river  is  about  12  feet  above  the 
level  of  water  in  canal.  Rock  is  found  at  an  elevation  of  about  160. 
Just  below  this  point  there  is  a  dam  with  a  head  of  20  feet.  The  vil¬ 
lage  of  Champlain  has  acquired  the  right  to  use  whatever  water  is 
needed  for  a  supply,  as  well  as  the  power  for  pumping. 

The  surplus  power,  if  any,  is  owned  by  Whiteside  Brothers,  of 
Champlain. 

When  this  stream  was  gauged  on  April  25,  1899,  it  was  carrying 
1,038  cubic  feet  per  second.  This  may  be  increased  in  time  of  high 
water  to  3,500  cubic  feet,  and  in  time  of  low  water  may  fall  as  low  as 
100  cubic  feet  or  less. 

As  taking  the  water  in  the  canal  would  destroy  the  power  at  the 
waterworks  and  Whiteside’s  mill,  it  is  proposed  to  move  the  water¬ 
works  to  the  point  of  intake.  This  will  necessitate  laying  about  4,000 
feet  of  discharge  main  and  the  building  of  a  new  pump  house.  The 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


433 


turbine  and  pump  now  in  use  could  be  moved.  The  present  pump 
house  is  a  brick  structure  about  15  feet  square.  The  head  now  util¬ 
ized  at  the  pump  house  is  12  feet.  The  same  head  can  be  obtained 
where  the  river  is  taken  into  the  canal.  The  supply  can  be  taken 
from  the  river  above  the  canal  and  the  discharge  main  carried  under, 
thus  furnishing  the  same  quantity  and  quality  of  water  as  they  now 
have. 

To  do  this,  the  two  branches  of  the  Chazy  ought  to  be  united  above 
the  canal  and  a  dam  about  200  feet  in  length  and  5  feet  in  height 
founded  on  rock  be  built  to  turn  the  water  through  the  pump  house 
with  a  tailrace  discharging  into  the  canal.  As  the  surface  of  the  rock 
is  at  an  elevation  of  about  160,  no  special  construction  is  needed  for 
receiving  whatever  water  passes  over  the  dam  into  the  canal. 

Whenever  all  the  water  is  not  used  by  the  waterworks,  the  surplus 
belongs  to  Whiteside  Brothers  and  has  an  available  head  of  20  feet. 

Formerly  this  entire  power  was  used  to  run  a  strawboard  mill;  but 
this  has  not  been  in  operation  since  1895,  and  since  that  date  the  right 
to  use  whatever  water  is  needed  has  been  transferred  to  the  village  of 
Champlain. 

It  is  probable  that  100  horsepower  might  be  obtained  from  the  sur¬ 
plus  water  for  six  or  seven  months  in  the  year ;  but,  as  this  would  neces¬ 
sitate  a  steam  plant  of  equal  capacity  for  several  months,  it  is  doubt¬ 
ful  if  the  surplus  water  has  much  commercial  value. 

About  a  mile  farther  down  the  stream  there  is  another  power.  It 
would  be  necessary  to  return  water  to  the  streams  above  this  dam 
equal  to  the  amount  taken  in  above.  This  can  be  easily  done. 

At  the  crossing  of  the  Little  Montreal  River  and  Norton  Creek  the 
streams  will  have  to  be  taken  into  the  canal.  As  rock  is  found  near 
the  surface  at  both  points,  no  receiving  weirs  will  be  needed.  These 
streams  will  have  to  be  carried  across  the  canal  in  flumes  and  diverted 
during  construction. 

The  bed  of  English  River,  where  the  canal  crosses  it,  has  an  eleva¬ 
tion  of  about  125.  When  gauged  April  26,  1899,  it  was  carrying  392 
cubic  feet  per  second.  The  maximum  discharge  may  reach  1,000  cubic 
feet  per  second.  As  its  elevation  is  above  the  bottom  of  the  canal,  to 
pass  it  under  would  require  an  inverted  siphon,  which  would  be  not 
only  expensive  but  objectionable  on  account  of  the  heavy  ice  which 
forms  in  that  region  during  the  winter.  For  these  reasons  it  was 
thought  best  to  flood  the  valley  above  the  canal  and  pass  the  water 
over  a  wasteweif.  The  area  which  would  be  flooded  is  about  1,000 
acres.  A  waste  weir  has  been  located  at  a  point  about  three-fourths 
of  a  mile  east  of  the  river  crossing.  The  water  will  be  discharged  into 
Norton  Creek  about  a  mile  above  its  junction  with  the  English  River. 

The  waste  weir  will  be  founded  on  rock  at  an  elevation  of  140. 


H.  Doc.  149 - 28 


434 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  Chateauguay  River  is  the  largest  stream  crossed,  and  presents 
one  of  the  most  difficult  problems  on  the  line. 

The  following  data  in  regard  to  the  stream  have  been  obtained: 


Above  the  dam  at  Ormstown: 

High  water,  April  11,  1887.  in  shoe  store  of  W.  Maw . .  136.45 

Surface  of  water  September  14,  1898  . . . 120.43 

Crest  of  dam,  about . . . . .  120.00 

Below  the  dam: 

High  water.  April,  1887,  on  Murphy's  home,  G  miles  below  Ormstown.  136. 00 

High  water,  April,  1899 . . .  . . . . . .  119.00 

Surface  of  water  September  14,  1898  . . 110. 14 


On  April  19,  1899,  the  river  was  carrying  2,720  cubic  feet,  with 
water  surface  at  113.29,  1^  miles  below  the  dam. 

T  do  not  know  of  any  high-water  gauging.  The  maximum  discharge 
may  reach  as  high  as  5,000  or  6,000  cubic  feet  per  second. 

Extreme  high  water  is  always  caused  by  an  ice  gorge,  which  usually 
forms  at  the  Grand  Trunk  Railway  bridge,  about  3  miles  below  town. 

T  have  to  suggest  three  methods  of  carrying  the  canal  across  the 
river: 

First.  By  an  aqueduct,  the  river  being  passed  under  the  canal. 

Second.  By  putting  a  dam  across  the  river  and  flooding  the  valley 
above.  1 

Third.  By  a  dam  and  dikes  on  both  sides  to  a  point  above  the 
flowage  line. 

The  various  projects  will  now  be  considered. 

First.  To  pass  the  river  under  the  canal  an  aqueduct  from  600  to 
800  feet  in  length  would  be  required.  The  conditions  for  this  are  not 
as  favorable  as  could  be  desired.  Low  water  in  the  river  is  about 
110,  ordinary  high  water  120,  and  extreme  high  water  136.  The  grade 
of  bottom  of  canal  with  30  feet  of  water  is  122.4. 

Owing  to  the  large  amount  of  ice  which  the  river  sometimes  carries, 
the  openings  ought  to  be  kept  as  large  as  possible;  but  on  account  of 
the  great  weight  to  be  carried  they  ought  to  be  of  moderate  spans. 
Spans  of  about  30  feet  will  probably  best  fulfill  the  conditions. 

From  the  elevations  given  above  it  will  be  seen  that  there  is  very 
little  headway,  and  at  ordinary  high  water  the  crown  of  the  arch  will 
be  submerged. 

In  order  to  give  all  the  headway  possible,  the  feasibility  of  carrying 
the  aqueduct  on  steel  girders  with  30-foot  span  was  considered.  To 
do  this  with  24-incli  I-beams  weighing  80  pounds  to  the  linear  foot 
would  require  them  to  be  spaced  10  inches  between  centers  under  the 
body  of  the  aqueduct.  As  the  side  walls  would  weigh  about  two  and 
one-lialf  times  as  much  as  the  water,  the  walls  would  have  to  be  car¬ 
ried  on  deep  girders  built  into  the  walls.  As  beams  spaced  10  inches 
apart  could  not  be  painted,  they  would  have  to  be  encased  in  concrete 
to  protect  them.  This  leads  at  once  to  the  Melan  system  of  arches. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


435 


If  arches  were  made  5  feet  thick  at  the  crown,  which  seems  to  be  as 
much  as  is  practicable  under  the  circumstances,  they  would  be  lack¬ 
ing  in  strength  to  resist  the  pressure  of  the  water  tending  to  force  the 
side  walls  of  the  aqueduct  apart.  This  thrust  for  the  30-foot  channel 
amounts  to  over  28,000  pounds  per  linear  foot  of  the  canal.  As  this 
force  acts  with  a  lever  arm  of  10  feet,  there  would  be  a  moment  of 
280,000  foot-pounds  for  each  linear  foot  of  the  aqueduct,  tending  to 
rupture  the  arch  in  a  plane  parallel  to  the  axis  of  the  aqueduct.  A  con¬ 
crete  arch  under  these  conditions  would  not  be  stable.  It  would  be 
necessary  to  strengthen  the  arches  with  steel  rods  or  beams  in  a  direc¬ 
tion  transverse  to  the  axis  of  the  aqueduct.  Steel  rods  would  prob¬ 
ably  also  be  required  in  the  side  walls  to  prevent  cracks  from  tem¬ 
perature  strains. 

Ice  forms  in  the  streams  in  this  region  to  a  depth  of  3  feet  or  more. 
It  would  undoubtedly  form  to  a  greater  depth  in  the  prism  of  the  aque¬ 
duct  and  might  rupture  the  walls  unless  the  water  was  drawn  off  at 
the  end  of  navigation.  As  the  English  River  and  other  streams  are 
to  be  taken  in  and  discharged  over  wasteweirs,  the  entire  canal  can 
not  be  emptied.  On  this  account  gates  will  be  necessary  at  both  ends 
of  the  aqueduct,  and  a  pipe  with  a  gate  carried  through  the  wall  to 
empty  the  water. 

The  ice  which  runs  in  the  river  passes  over  a  dam  about  half  a  mile 
above  our  crossing,  and  would  be  pretty  well  broken  up  before  reach¬ 
ing  the  aqueduct;  but  as  an  additional  safeguard  it  would  be  well  to 
put  in  masonry  ice  breakers  a  short  distance  above  the  aqueduct, 
spaced  less  than  30  feet  apart,  so  that  any  ice  which  had  passed  them 
would  pass  through  the  openings  in  the  aqueduct. 

By  doing  this  the  ice  would  probably  pass  in  safety  at  all  ordinary 
times.  There  is,  however,  danger  of  an  ice  jam  forming  at  the  Grand 
Trunk  Railway  bridge,  3  miles  below,  and  setting  back  to  this  point. 
In  1887,  and  again  in  1888,  this  happened,  and  the  water  rose  to  a  height 
of  136.  This  might  cause  an  ice  gorge  above  the  aqueduct  and  raise 
the  water  still  higher.  If  the  aqueduct  was  filled  it  would  be  stable, 
even  though  the  water  went  over  the  top  of  it;  but  any  rise  of  water 
above  that  of  1887  would  do  serious  damage  to  people  in  Ormstown 
and  vicinity. 

By  adopting  either  the  second  or  third  plan  proposed  the  danger 
from  floods  and  ice  would  be  lessened. 

By  putting  a  dam  across  the  river  above  town  and  flooding  the 
valley  there  would  be  submerged,  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained  from 
data  at  hand,  about  8,000  acres  of  land,  which  would  probably  be  valued 
at  from  $75  to  $100  per  acre.  In  addition  to  this,  the  Grand  Trunk 
Railway  would  have  to  be  reconstructed  for  several  miles. 

By  building  dikes  along  both  sides  of  the  river  to  a  point  where 
there  would  be  no  danger  of  flowage,  the  stream  could  be  taken  in 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


436 

and  discharged  over  a  waste  weir  with  safety,  and  probably  at  no 
greater  cost  than  for  an  aqueduct.1 * * * * * 

For  a  21-foot  channel  there  would  be  no  trouble  in  passing  the  river 
under  the  canal. 

The  line  lias  been  so  located  that  by  building  the  western  end  first 
and  then  changing  the  channel  the  whole  aqueduct  can  be  built  in 
the  dry. 

Siphons. — There  are  several  small  brooks  and  ditches  which  cross 
the  line  at  such  an  elevation  that  they  will  have  to  be  passed  under 
through  inverted  siphons.  The}7  will  appear  in  the  estimates. 

Discharge  sluices. — Discharge  sluices  ought  to  be  built  at  the  fol¬ 
lowing  points: 

At  lock  east  of  Champlain,  capable  of  discharging  4,000  cubic  feet 
per  second. 

Between  stations  9821  and  9791  of  canal,  one  capable  of  passing 
2,000  cubic  feet  per  second. 

At  station  8666  of  canal  line,  one  to  discharge  not  more  than  3,000 
cubic  feet  per  second.  This  is  to  pass  the  water  of  English  River.  I 
doubt  if  it  would  be  safe  to  discharge  more  at  that  point.  It  would 
be  liable  to  flood  the  valley  below. 

Railroad  crossings. — The  following  railroads  are  crossed:  Delaware 
and  Hudson,  Ogdensburg  and  Lake  Champlain,  Ilemmingford  Branch 
of  Grand  Trunk,  Canada  Atlantic,  Massena  Branch  of  Grand  Trunk, 
and  St.  Lawrence  and  Adirondack. 

Estimates  have  been  made  for  a  change  of  location  of  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson,  both  branches  of  the  Grand  Trunk,  and  the  Ogdens¬ 
burg  and  Lake  Champlain  railways  to  secure  crossings  at  right 
angles.  All  railway  crossings  are  by  means  of  swing  bridges.  The 
Canada  Atlantic  crosses  the  proposed  canal  at  two  points,  and  an  esti¬ 
mate  has  been  made  of  a  new  location  of  this  road  for  a  distance  of 
about  9  miles  to  avoid  any  crossings. 

All  the  embankments  on  these  changes  can  be  made  from  waste 
material  from  the  canal  excavation. 

Highway  crossings. — All  highways  have  been  estimated  to  be  car¬ 
ried  over  on  swing  spans  or  fixed  spans  with  a  clear  headway  of  85 

1  After  Mr.  Davis  had  severed  his  connection  with  the  Board,  this  subject  was 
further  considered  and  additional  surveys  made  in  October,  1899.  by  Mr.  James  J. 
Overn.  This  survey  consisted  of  lines  run  along  the  high  ground  adjacent  to  both 
banks  of  the  Chateauguay  River  from  Huntingdon  to  Ormstown,  and  the  infor¬ 
mation  secured  was  sufficient  to  enable  an  estimate  to  be  made  of  the  embank¬ 
ments  required  by  the  third  method  mentioned  above.  This  survey  is  not  shown 

on  the  accompanying  maps.  The  proposed  location  of  the  canal  was  changed,  as 

shown  on  plates  45  and  46,  in  order  that  the  dam  might  be  located  on  rock 

foundation  above  the  village  of  Ormstown.  The  estimated  cost  of  the  embank¬ 

ment  is  $405,000,  and  of  the  required  right  of  way  $117,000,  making  a  total  of 

$522,000.  Method  No.  8  is  cheaper  than  No.  2  and  avoids  the  uncertainties  of 
the  aqueduct  plan.  The  location  and  estimates  have  been  made  in  accordance 

with  method  No.  3  for  both  21  and  30  foot  channels. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


437 


feet,  or  by  steam  ferries,  with  pontoon  bridges  to  be  put  across  in 
place  of  the  ferries  during  the  period  when  the  canal  is  not  in  opera¬ 
tion.  The  ferries  and  pontoons  would  be  not  only  much  cheaper  but 
less  liable  to  any  accident  which  would  block  the  canal  than  swing 
bridges. 

Ferry  crossings  have  been  estimated  for  the  following  points:  At 
Cooperville,  at  Champlain,  near  Aubrey  Station,  at  Fertile  ('reek 
road,  at  Ormstown. 

Table  No.  1  gives  the  location,  length,  cost,  etc.,  of  all  railway  and 
highway  bridges  estimated. 

Classification  of  excavation. — The  excavation  can  be  classified  under 
the  following  heads:  Dredging,  which  would  cover  all  materials 
which  could  best  be  removed  with  a  dredge;  earth  excavation,  cover¬ 
ing  all  earth  to  be  removed  otherwise  than  by  dredging;  solid  rock 
under  water;  solid  rock  above  water. 

All  the  excavation  required  in  Lake  Champlain  will  be  dredging  in 
earth.  In  Lake  St.  Francis  there  will  be  a  small  amount  of  rock. 

Character  of  materials. — The  earth  is  mostly  a  stiff  clay.  Between 
the  following  stations  there  will  be  found  many  bowlders:  9881  to 
9241,  8941  to  8741,  7841  to  7721. 

Between  9241  and  8941  there  will  be  found  a  considerable  amount 
of  black  muck.  The  depth  is  so  very  irregular  that  no  attempt  has 
been  made  to  separate  it  from  clay  in  the  estimates. 

I  think  most  of  the  clay  will  stand  at  slopes  of  2  to  1.  However, 
there  is  some  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Chateauguay  River  and  near  the  St. 
Louis  River  which  may  give  trouble.  Last  spring  some  of  this  became 
almost  like  quicksand,  the  roads  being  absolutely  impassable.  On  the 
Soulanges  Canal  there  have  been  several  bad  slides  on  sections  which 
have  been  excavated  to  the  entire  depth  and  left  for  two  or  more  years 
without  water  being  let  in.  I  think  the  material  at  the  Soulanges 
and  near  Ormstown  is  somewhat  similar. 

Character  of  rock  to  he  excavated. — The  surface  rock  appears  to 
have  been  originally  Utica  shale,  below  which  was  limestone,  chang¬ 
ing  almost  imperceptibly  into  a  calciferous  sandstone,  one  of  the 
Potsdam  group,  and  finally  into  quartzite.  Glacial  action  has  worn 
this  down  so  that  the  shale  is  onl}'  found  along  Lake  Champlain  and 
the  Richelieu  River.  Near  Champlain  and  Barrington  limestone  is 
found  in  limited  quantities.  Near  Valleyfield  the  rock  is  usually 
limestone  of  such  a  quality  that  it  is  used  for  the  manufacture  of 
lime.  Quartzite  is  found  outcropping  in  every  ledge  of  any  impor¬ 
tance  along  the  line  between  Lake  Champlain  and  Ormstown.  It  is 
safe  to  classify  all  this  rock  as  hard  sandstone  or  quartzite.  Between 
Ormstown  and  Lake  St.  Francis  the  rock  may  be  classified  as  lime¬ 
stone. 

Samples  from  most  of  the  ledges  in  the  vicinity  of  the  line  are 
submitted. 


438 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  rock  will  all  make  excellent  concrete,  and  enough  building 
stone  for  most  purposes  can  be  found  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
line.  At  Champlain  blocks  2  feet  in  thickness  and  10  to  12  feet 
square  can  be  quarried. 

Photographs  showing  the  stratification  and  seams  in  some  of  the 
ledges  are  given. 

The  quartzite  occurs  in  strata  varying  from  a  few  inches  to  several 
feet  in  thickness,  and  is  broken  up  by  many  vertical  seams.  It  can 
be  channeled  unless  the  vertical  seams  interfere. 

Ground  water  in  cuts. — As  several  of  the  borings  develop  flowing 
wells,  I  anticipate  that  much  water  will  be  found  in  the  deep  cuts. 

Sand. — There  is  no  good  bank  sand  in  the  vicinity  of  the  line.  Sand 
for  building  purposes  is  found  in  both  lakes,  but  what  I  saw  was  not 
of  a  first-rate  quality.  An  excellent  sand  for  concrete  could  be  made 
by  crushing  quartzite. 

Details  of  alignmen  t. 


Length  of  line  from  30  feet  of  water  in  Lake  Champlain  to  30  feet  in  Lake 

St.  Francis  . . .  . . . miles..  53.674 

Distance  between  shores  of  lakes  .. .  . .  do...  48.66 

Length  of  tangent .  . . . . . .  . . do —  38.49 

Total  length  of  canal: 

Radius  5,000  feet . . . . . feet..  15,567 

Radius  6,000  feet . . . .  . do...  11, 115 

Radius  7,000  feet . . . . . . do...  13, 175 

Radius  10, 000  feet.. . . . . * . . do 10,715 

Radius  12,000  feet . .  . . .  . . do...  12,700 

Radius  17,088  feet . . . . . . . . do...  5,  269 

Radius  10,111  feet .  . . . , .  do ...  11,634 

Total  length  of  curve . . . . miles..  15.18 

Character  of  channel. 

Earth,  and  earth  with  rock  less  than  5  feet  above  bottom  . miles..  17.  784 

Rock  section . . . . . . . . .  do 30.871 

Lake  section  with  dredging  in  bottom . . do 5. 019 

Profile. 

Proposed  level  of  Lake  Champlain  . . . . .  100.00 

Proposed  summit  level . . . . . . .  152. 40 

Lift  of  Lock  No.  1 . . . . .  52.4 

Low  water,  Lake  St.  Francis. . .  .  150.  89 

High  water,  Lake  St.  Francis . .  . . .  155.81 

Extreme  lift  of  guard  loca .  . . .  3.  4 

Table  No.  1  shows  the  location  and  cost  of  the  proposed  bridges; 


Table  No.  2  shows  the  location  and  cost  of  the  proposed  locks;  Table 
No.  3,  detailed  estimates  of  30-foot' channel;  and  Table  No.  4,  the 
estimate  for  21-foot  channel. 


DODGE'S  QUARRY,  CHAMPLAIN,  VT. 
Upper  4  feet  sandstone  Below  that  limestone. 


QUARTZITE  OUTCROP,  1  MILE  WEST  OF  DODGE'S  QUARRY 


QUARTZITE  OUTCROP,  1  MILE  SOUTH  OF  HOLTON  STATION,  P.  Q. 


QUARTZITE  OUTCROP,  1  MILE  SOUTH  OF  HOLTON  STATION,  P.  Q 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


439 


Table  No.  1. — Champlain  route,  northern  division. 


BRIDGES. 


Location. 

Station. 

Kind  of  bridge. 

Number  of  j 
tracks. 

Swing 
or  fixed. 

Number  of 
spans. 

30-foot  channel. 

21-foot  channel. 

Total 

length. 

Esti¬ 

mated 

cost. 

Total 

length. 

Esti¬ 

mated 

cost. 

7571 

Highway . 

Swing. . 

i 

235 

$19, 986 

195 

$16, 650 

7674 

Railway . 

1 

_ do 

i 

537i 

139, 882 

5171 

118, 772 

777(1 

Highway . 

_ do 

i 

555 

68, 476 

531 

63,430 

Ormstown _ 

8(171 

Railway . 

1 

. do 

i 

537} 

139. 882 

5171 

1 18, 772 

8923 

Highway _ 

. do . . 

i 

600 

72, 910 

575 

67, 470 

9259 

Railway  and 

1 

. do .  - 

3 

600 

217,730 

5761 

201,023 

highway.1 

9446 

Highway . 

Fixed  .. 

1 

300 

31,499 

282 

28, 679 

9652 

_ do  __ . 

Swing.. 

1 

570 

69, 572 

546 

6)3, 683 

Champlain  . 

9752 

Railway 

i 

. do . . 

1 

5t>4 

112,838 

540 

103, 810 

Cooperville . 

10048 

. do  .1 . 

l 

. do .. 

1 

5371 

111,536 

5171 

104, 320 

Bridges  not  over 

canal. 

Ormstown . . 

8121 

Highway . 

Fixed  .. 

1 

150 

10, 395 

150 

10,395 

8682 

. do . . 

. do .. 

1 

100 

8,350 

100 

8,350 

Dewittville . . 

. do . . 

..  .do .. 

120 

9,893 

120 

9,893 

Above  Ormstown 

5,000 

2  5, 000 

Total . 

— 

1,017,949 

920,247 

1  Double-deck  drawspan,  two  63-foot  girders.  2  New  abutments. 

Note.— Highway  bridge,  22  feet  clear  opening;  single-track  bridge,  14  feet  clear  opening; 
double-track  bridge,  26  feet  clear  opening;  single-track  double-deck  bridge,  26  feet  clear  opening. 


Table  No.  2. — Champlain  route ,  northern  division. 

LOCKS.1 


No. 

Station, 
upper end 

Length 
of  level. 

Elevation,  low-wa¬ 
ter  surface. 

Lift. 

Remarks. 

masonry. 

Above. 

Below. 

4 . 

7566 

Miles. 
39. 0 

152.4 

152.4 

00 

Guard  lock  at  Valley  Field. 
Champlain  lock. 

5 . 

9876 

43.7 

152.4 

100.0 

52.4 

1  Lock  at  Lake  Champlain  regulating  works  is  given  in  Appendix  No.  8. 


COST. 


Lock  No. 

30-foot  chan¬ 
nel. 

21-foot  chan¬ 
nel. 

Operating 

machin¬ 

ery. 

4  . . . 

$725, 346 
1,801,307 

$450,634 
1, 156, 198 

$100, 000 
100,000 

5 . 

Operating  machinery. . . . . . 

w 

ss 

gg 

S  £ 

1,606,832 

200,000 

200,000 

Total  .  . . . . 

2,726,653 

1,806,832 

Table  No.  3. — Champlain  route,  northern  division. 
ESTIMATE  OF  COST  OF  CONSTRUCTION  OF  30-FOOT  CHANNEL. 


Section  No.  1,  Station  7395  to  7532,  Lake  St.  Francis: 

Excavation — 

Earth,  wet,  2,755,626  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  $413,  344 

Rock,  wet,  279,337  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50  .  698,343 

Total . . .  .  1,111,687 


440 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Section  No.  2,  Station  7532  to  9953.  Lake  St.  Francis  to  Great  Chazy  River: 
Excavation — 

Earth,  dry,  41,179,324  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents  .. . . $6, 176,899 

Rock,  dry,  57, 724,  771  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . .  37, 521, 101 

Embankment,  excavation  necessary  furnished  from  canal  prism, 

9,133,645  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents. . ... . .....  .  . .  1,370.047 

Embankment,  Chateauguay  River,  required  excavation  not  com¬ 
puted  separately,  1,343,500  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  . .  ...  _  335,875 

Retaining  wall,  437,384  cubic  yards,  at  $4 . . . . .  1,749,536 

Slope  wall,  501,528  square  yards,  at  $1.10. . . .  551, 681 

Back  fill,  1,315,565  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . . .  328,891 

Timber  crib — 

Oak,  26,640  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M  _ _ 1.332 

Hemlock.  3,790,080  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M . . .  87, 172 

Pine,  540,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M  . .  16,200 

Stone  fill,  59,400  cirbic  yards,  at  60  cents . . . .  35, 640 

Iron,  369,720  pounds,  at  3  cents . . .  11,092 

Right  of  way — 

Town  land,  274,  acres,  at  $1,500. . . .  41,250 

Farm  land,  5,453  acres,  at  $91.50  .  497, 440 

Farm  land,  Chateauguay,  1,170  acres,  at  $100 . .  117,000 

Railroad  changes,  14.07  miles  . . . . . .  218,599 

Entrance  of  streams — 

Excavation,  rock,  dry,  5,600  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . .  3,640 

Excavation,  earth,  dry,  186,700  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  28,005 

Gates  (sluice  and  by-pass) . . . . .  26,970 

Bridges,  13 . . . . . . .  1,017,949 

Steam  ferries,  5,  at  $20,000 . . . . . .  100,000 

Lock  No.  4,  Yalleyfield  (guard  lock) . . . . . .  725,346 

Lock-operating  machinery,  1  set  single . . .  100,000 

Lock  No.  5,  Champlain . . .  1,801.307 

Lock-operating  machinery,  1  set  single. . . . . .  100, 000 

Dam  at  Ormstown — 

Concrete.  17,670  cubic  yards,  at  $6. . . . . .  106,020 

Gate . .  . . .  3, 000 

Dam  at  Champlain,  concrete,  1,315  cubic  yards,  at  $6 .  7,890 

Champlain  waterworks  extension- 

iron  pipe,  2,471.5  tons,  at  $40. .  . . . .  98,860 

Pumphouse . . . . . . . .  . .  500 


Total. . . .  . .  53,179,242 


Section  No.  3,  station  9953  to  station  10101,  Great  Chazy  River: 

Excavation — 

Earth,  wet,  3,940,896  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  591, 134 

Rock,  wet,  1,048,571  cubic  yards,  at  $2 . 1.  ..  2,097, 142 

Right  of  way,  farm  land,  259  acres,  at  $100.  . . . .  25, 900 


Total . . .  2,714,176 


Section  No.  4,  station  10101  to  station  10231,  Lake  Champlain: 

Excavation — 

Earth,  wet,  2,880,559  cubic  yards,  at  10  cents . . .  288,056 

Rock,  wet,  2,631  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50 _ _ _ _ _  6,578 


Total . . . . . . .  294,634 


Auxiliary  work,  Lake  Champlain  regulating  works.. . . .  890,244 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


441 


SUMMARY. 


Section . 

Station  to 
station. 

Total  cost. 

1 . . . . 

7395-  7532 
7532-  9953 
9953-10101 
10101-10231 

$1,111,687 
53,179,242 
2. 714, 176 
294,634 
890, 244 

2 . 

3 . . 

4 .  . . . . 

Lake  Champlain  regulating  works . 

Total . 

58,189,983 

Table  No.  4. — Champlain  route,  northern  division. 
ESTIMATE  OF  COST  OF  CONSTRUCTION  OF  21-FOOT  CHANNEL. 
Section  No.  1,  station  7403  to  station  7533,  Lake  St.  Francis: 


Excavation — 

Earth,  wet,  392,652  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents. .  $43, 898 

Rock,  wet,  74,041  cubic  yards,  at  $2.50  . . .  185, 103 


Total . . .  229,001 


Section  No.  2,  station  7532  to  station  9953,  Lake  St.  Francis  to  Great 
Cliazy  River: 

Excavation — 


Earth,  dry,  34,767,719  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  5, 215, 158 

Rock,  dry,  43,533,587  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents .  28, 296, 832 

Embankment — 

Excavation  necessary  furnished  from  canal  prism,  9,540,775 

cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . _ .  .  1, 431, 116 

Chateauguay  River,  required  excavation  not  computed  sepa¬ 
rately,  1,343,500  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  335, 875 

Retaining  wall,  262,239  cubic  yards,  at  $4 .  1, 048, 956 

Slope  wall,  527,487  square  yards,  at  $1. 10 .  580, 236 

Back  fill,  699,974  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  174,994 

Timber  crib — 

Oak,  26,640  feet  B.  M. ,  at  $50  per  M .  1, 332 

Hemlock,  2,764,080  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M__ .  63,574 

Pine,  540,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M. . . .  16, 200 

Stone  fill,  43,200  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . . . .  25, 920 

Iron,  273,600  pounds,  at  3  cents .  . . .  8, 208 

Right  of  way — 

Town  land,  27£  acres,  at  $1,500 .  41,250 

Farm  land,  5,453  acres,  at  $91.50 .  497,440 

Farm  land,  Chateauguay  River,  1,170  acres,  at  $100 . . .  117, 000 

Railroad  changes,  14.07  miles .  218,599 

Entrance  of  streams — 

Excavation,  rock.  dry.  5,600  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents .  3,640 

Excavation,  earth,  186,700  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  28,005 

Gates  (sluice  and  by-pass) . .  26, 970 

Bridges,  13  . . .  920,247 

Steam  ferries,  5,  at  $20,000 . . .  100, 000 

Lock  No.  4,  Valleyfield  (guard  lock) .  450.634 

Lock-operating  machinery,  1  set  single  lock .  100,000 

Lock  No.  5,  Champlain. . .  . . .  1,156,198 

Lock-operating  machinery,  1  set  single  lock .  100,000 


442 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Section  No.  2,  station  7532  to  station  9953,  Lake  St.  Francis  to  Great 


Chazy  River — Continued. 

Dam  at  Ormstown — 

Concrete,  17,670  cubic  yards,  at  $6. . . . . .  $106, 020 

Gate . . . . -  3, 000 

Dam  at  Champlain,  concrete,  1,315  cubic  yards,  at  $6 . .  7,890 

Champlain  waterworks  extension — 

Iron  pipe,  2,471.5  tons,  at  $40.. . . . . . .  98,860 

Pumphouse . .  . . . . . . .  500 


Total. . . . . . . .  41,174,654 


Section  No.  3,  station  9953  to  station  10101.  Great  Chazy  River: 

Excavation — 

Earth,  wTet,  3,061,214  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  459, 182 

Rock,  wet,  336,535  cubic  yards,  at  $2  . . . .  673, 070 

Right  of  way,  farm  land,  259  acres,  at  $100 . . .  25, 900 


Total. . . .  .  1,158,152 


Section  No.  4,  station  10101  to  station  10171.  Lake  Champlain: 

Excavation,  earth,  wet,  1,049,293  cubic  yards,  at  10  cents  . .  104,929 

Auxiliary  work,  Lake  Champlain  regulating  works  .  890,244 


SUMMARY. 


Section. 

Station  to 
station. 

Total  cost. 

1  . . . . . 

7403-  7532 
7532-  9953 
9953-10101 
10101-10171 

'  $229, 001 
41.174,654 
1,158,152 
104,929 
890,244 

2  .  . . . . . . 

3  . . . . . . . . . 

4  . . . . . . . 

Lake  Champlain  regulating  works . 

Total . - . - . . . 

43,556,980 

I  wisli  to  acknowledge  the  many  courtesies  which  I  received  from 
the  Canadian  customs  officials,  who  allowed  free  entry  to  all  of  our 
equipment  without  question  or  hindrance  of  any  kind;  also  to  the 
following  gentlemen  for  valuable  data  furnished:  Mr.  J.  W.  Maeklin, 
engineer  of  the  Chambly  Power  Company,  Montreal,  Canada;  Mr. 
Ernest  Marceau,  superintendent-engineer  of  railways  and  canals, 
Montreal,  Canada;  Mr.  Thomas  Monro,  engineer  of  the  Soulanges 
Canal,  Coteau,  Canada;  Mr.  J.  F.  Beique,  superintendent  of  the  Beau- 
harnois  Canal,  Valleyfield,  Canada;  Mr.  J.  P.  Benoit,  superintendent 
of  the  Chambly  Canal,  Chambly,  Canada;  Capt.  D.  White,  Rouse 
Point,  N.  Y. 

The  names  of  the  assistants  who  filled  the  most  important  positions 
on  this  division  are  P.  H.  Aslimead,  John  J.  L.  Houston,  Y.  W.  Kline, 
M.  G.  Barn  es,  E.  B.  Wheeler,  S.  D.  Woodward,  instrument  men; 
Charles  G.  Weyl,  draftsman;  Jason  F.  Stearns,  superintendent  of 
borings. 

Very  respectfully,  Frank  P.  Davis, 

A ssistan t  Engineer. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


443 


Appendix  No.  13. 

OSWEGO-MOHAWK  ROUTE,  WESTERN  DIVISION. 

Detroit,  Mich.,  September  30,  1899. 

Gentlemen  :  I  have  the  honor  to  report  as  follows  upon  the  western 
division  of  the  Oswego-Mohawk  route: 

GENERAL  DESCRIPTION. 

The  Oswego  route  has  been  generally  described  as  leaving  Lake 
Ontario  at  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  following  the  Oswego  River  southward 
from  the  lake  about  21.5  miles  to  Phoenix,  then  turning  eastward  to 
Oneida  Lake,  running  across  the  lake  to  Wood  Creek,  along  this 
creek  to  Rome,  and  down  the  Mohawk  Valley  from  Rome  to  the  Hud¬ 
son  River. 

The  portion  of  this  route  which  has  been  designated  as  the  western 
division  extends  from  Oswego  to  Herkimer,  a  small  village,  about  14 
miles  east  of  Utica,  N.  Y.  It  lies  mostly  in  the  counties  of  Oswego, 
Oneida,  and  Herkimer,  but  also  passes  through  the  northern  part  of 
Onondaga  County.  Oneida  Lake  is  bordered  on  the  southeast  by 
Madison  County. 

The  country  traversed  is  thought  to  be  the  bed  of  an  ancient  lake, 
greater  than  and  including  Lake  Ontario,  whose  outlet  to  the  sea  was 
through  the  Mohawk  Valley.  It  is  supposed  that  the  region  north  of 
the  Adirondacks  was  at  that  time  covered  by  a  held  of  ice  and  that 
the  St.  Lawrence  River  was  yet  unmade. 

At  a  still  earlier  date  this  field  of  ice  probably  extended  farther 
south,  so  as  to  cover  the  route  described.1 

In  Oswego  County  the  surface  of  the  country  is  composed  of  a  series 
of  ridges  and  valleys  extending  in  a  southeasterly  direction  from  Lake 
Ontario. 

Oneida  Lake  is  125  feet  above  Lake  Ontario  and  371  feet  above  the 
sea.  It  is  21  miles  long,  averages  about  4  miles  in  width,  and  receives 
the  drainage  from  an  area  of  about  1,348  square  miles.  It  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  a  strip  of  table-land,  which  separates  it  from  Lake 
Ontario,  and  on  the  south  by  the  Niagara  escarpment.  On  the  west  an 
outlet  is  afforded  by  the  Oneida  River,  which  unites  with  the  Seneca 
at  Three  River  Point,  3  miles  south  of  Phoenix,  to  form  the  Oswego 
River.  On  the  east  lies  a  level  valley  some  5  miles  wide  at  the  lake, 
but  rising  gradually  and  growing  narrower  as  it  approaches  Rome. 
At  Rome  there  is  a  low,  short  divide  separating  Wood  ('reek  from  the 
Mohawk.  It  is  the  highest  land  on  the  route,  excepting  Sand  Ridge, 
and  has  an  elevation  of  430  feet  above  the  sea.  From  Rome  to  Little 
Falls  the  river  winds  in  a  sinuous  course  along  a  narrow  alluvial  plain, 

1  See  paper  by  G.  K.  Gilbert  in  Sixth  Annual  Report  of  the  Commissioners  of 
the  New  York  State  Reservation  at  N  agnra. 


444 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


and  bears  no  resemblance  to  the  rapidly  descending  and  rocky  channel 
below  the  falls. 

The  ridges  in  Oswego  County  are  composed  of  gravel,  sand,  and 
clay  in  varying  proportions  and  degrees  of  hardness.  Rock  does  not 
generally  appear  in  the  ridges,  and  it  is  easy  to  think  of  them  as  the 
moraines  of  ancient  glaciers,  deposited  upon  the  surface  of  the  under¬ 
lying  rock.  The  comparatively  recent  formation  of  the  topography  is 
strikingly  illustrated  by  the  test  borings  made  at  Minetto,  which  show 
the  bed  rock  to  be  higher  in  the  river  channel  than  beneath  the  hills 
on  either  side. 

The  argillaceous  sandstone  of  the  Utica  formation  is  found  in  the 
river  bed  at  Oswego.  Between  Oswego  and  Fulton  is  found  the  gray, 
brown,  or  mottled  Medina  sandstone,  and  between  Fulton  and  Oneida 
Lake  are  found  the  Clinton  shales.  The  material  to  be  excavated  in 
Oneida  Lake  is  mostly  soft  mud.  There  is  also  a  little  sand  and 
gravel,  and  near  the  outlet  at  Brewerton  a  small  amount  of  rock  was 
discovered. 

East  of  Oneida  Lake  the  rock  encountered  is  a  shale  belonging  to 
the  Utica  formation. 

A  few  miles  west  of  Rome  there  is  a  deposit  of  rock  and  hardpan, 
which  separates  the  Wood  Creek  and  Mohawk  valleys.  West  of  this 
ridge  there  is  a  deep  deposit  of  sand  and  clay  resting  upon  the  Utica 
shale.  East  of  Rome  and  along  the  Mohawk  Valley  there  is  a  deep 
channel  between  the  hills,  filled  in  with  sand,  clay,  and  beds  of  gravel. 
This  channel  is  somewhat  tortuous,  and  in  places  spurs  of  rock  jutting 
into  the  valley  from  the  adjacent  hills  are  intersected  by  the  located 
canal  channel. 

The  location  and  depth  of  proposed  rock  excavation  can  be  readily 
seen  on  the  profile  of  the  line. 

The  country  adjacent  to  the  route  is  fertile  and  productive,  but  the 
route  itself  lies  generally  in  swamps  and  water  courses,  which  are  of 
less  value  than  ordinary  farming  land. 

Building  sand  is  abundant  along  the  route.  The  sandstone  at 
Oswego  is  unsuited  for  heavy  masonry,  but  could  be  used  for  slope 
wall. 

East  of  Oswego,  at  Chaumont,  and  north  of  Rome,  on  the  Black 
River  Canal,  there  exists  an  abundance  of  good  limestone  that  could 
be  brought  to  the  route  by  water  transportation.  Granite  is  quarried 
on  Grindstone  Island,  in  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  is  quite  abundant  on 
the  islands  at  the  head  of  the  river. 

The  route  appears  to  be  well  suited  for  the  construction  of  a  water¬ 
way  of  large  dimensions.  The  vital  question  of  water  supply  has 
been  discussed  elsewhere,  and  there  remains  but  one  feature  concern¬ 
ing  which  any  serious  doubt  need  be  expressed.  Between  Rome  and 
Frankfort,  in  the  Mohawk  Valley,  there  is  perhaps  10  miles  of  line 
along  which  much  of  the  material  to  be  excavated  is  loose  sand  and 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


445 


clay,  and  the  slopes  of  the  channel  would  undoubtedly  cause  some 
trouble  by  caving  into  the  canal.  But  such  a  condition  means,  at 
the  worst,  an  increase  of  excavation  that  is  small  compared  with  the 
total,  and  its  importance  is  not  sufficient  to  weigh  heavily  against  the 
route. 

The  particular  line  along  this  route  which  has  been  selected  as  best 
suited  for  the  construction  of  a  canal  may  be  briefly  described  as 
follows: 

The  line  leaves  Lake  Ontario  about  1.1  miles  west  from  the  Oswego 
light-house,  at  a  place  known  locally  as  Sheldons  Point,  and  passes 
through  the  outskirts  of  the  city  along  the  westerly  slope  of  a  narrow 
valley.  It  crosses  the  Rome,  Watertown  and  Ogdensburg  Railroad 
tracks  near  that  company’s  repair  shops.  The  Delaware,  Lackawanna 
and  Western  Railroad  is  intersected  by  it  in  the  southwestern  part 
of  Oswego  city,  near  the  divide  between  the  Oswego  River  and  Lake 
Ontario,  and  it  then  follows  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western 
Railroad  to  the  village  of  Minetto,  where  it  enters  the  Oswego  River, 
about  5.7  miles  from  its  mouth. 

From  Minetto  it  follows  the  river  about  4.9  miles,  to  the  northern 
part  of  the  village  of  Fulton.  There  it  crosses  the  New  York,  Ontario 
and  Western  Railway  and  enters  the  valley  of  a  small  creek  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river.  It  passes  up  this  creek,  along  the  easterly  side 
of  Fulton,  crosses  the  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western  Railway  again 
about  four-fifths  of  a  mile  west  of  a  flag  station  called  Ingalls,  and, 
continuing  34  miles  farther,  enters  a  swamp  having  an  area  of  about 
2f  miles,  and  which  is  known  as  Peter  Scott’s  Swamp.  LTp  to  this 
place  the  direction  has  been  southeasterly.  Here  the  course  changes 
to  easterly  and  crosses  a  glacial  deposit  called  Sand  Ridge,  and  the 
Oneida  River,  which  skirts  the  ridge  on  the  east.  Then  it  crosses  a 
second  ridge  and  enters  the  Oneida  River,  the  channel  of  which  it 
follows  about  1.7  miles,  to  the  foot  of  Oneida  Lake,  at  Brewerton. 

The  line  passes  through  Oneida  Lake  a  little  north  of  its  axis  and 
enters  Wood  Creek  Valley  at  Sylvan  Beach,  a  summer  resort  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  the  lake.  About  5.5  miles  from  the  lake  the  line 
begins  to  rise  on  the  south  side  of  the  valley  in  order  to  pass  over  the 
Rome  summit. 

The  Erie  Canal  is  crossed  about  3.4  miles  west  of  Rome  and  again 
just  east  of  that  city.  The  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River 
Railroad  and  the  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western  Railway  are  crossed 
in  the  southern  outskirts  of  the  city;  the  New  York  Central  and 
Hudson  River  Railroad  is  crossed  a  second  time  about  3  miles  east 
of  Rome,  and  the  line  passes  down  the  valley,  sometimes  on  one  side 
and  sometimes  on  the  other.  The  Black  River  branch  of  the  New 
York  Central  and  Hudson  River  Railroad  is  crossed  just  west  of 
Utica,  and  the  main  line  is  crossed  again  about  4.7  miles  east  of 
Utica.  From  there  to  Herkimer  the  valley  is  very  narrow  and  is 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


44b 

already  occupied  by  the  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  Rail¬ 
road  and  West  Shore  railroads.  There  is  room  between  them  for 
the  canal,  but  there  is  no  choice  of  location,  and  the  present  channel 
of  the  Mohawk  must  give  place  to  that  of  the  proposed  waterway. 

DETAILED  DESCRIPTION  AND  ESTIMATES. 

Estimates  have  been  made  for  two  channels  having  depths  of  21 
and  30  feet,  respectively,  and  two  radically  different  plans  have  been 
considered  for  passing  the  summit  at  Rome.  The  high-level  plan  is 
to  pass  over  the  summit  with  a  minimum  amount  of  excavation,  to 
use  a  short  high  level  at  Rome,  and  to  bring  the  water  supply  from 
the  Black  River  Valley  through  a  feeder  92.75  miles  long.  The  sur¬ 
vey  and  estimate  for  the  feeder  were  not  a  part  of  the  w'ork  of  this 
division. 

The  low-level  plan  is  to  convert  Oneida  Lake  into  a  great  storage 
reservoir  and  excavate  a  channel  through  the  Rome  divide  that  would 
permit  the  waters  of  the  lake  to  flow  eastward  into  the  Mohawk 
Valley. 

This  description  is  written  chiefly  with  reference  to  a  30- foot  chan¬ 
nel  on  the  high-level  plan,  but  it  applies  generally  to  a  21-foot 
channel  as  well,  and  the  portions  of  the  route  north  of  Fulton  and 
east  of  Frankfort  are  common  to  both  of  the  above-mentioned  plans. 

The  elevation  of  water  surface  of  the  river  level  from  Minetto  to 
Fulton  is  determined  by  the  crest  of  the  lower  Fulton  dam.  There 
are  two  dams  at  Fulton,  which  supply  water  to  the  Oswego  Canal  and 
to  numerous  mills  and  factories.  It  is  considered  that  if  either  dam 
is  to  be  affected  by  the  proposed  waterway  it  will  be  more  economical 
to  wipe  out  one  dam  entirely  than  to  either  partly  submerge  one  or  to 
wholly  submerge  one  and  part  of  the  other. 

As  a  general  proposition,  it  is  more  economical  to  raise  the  water 
surface  of  a  stream  and  buy  the  property  submerged  than  to  obtain 
the  necessary  depth  of  water  by  excavation. 

With  the  water  surface  raised  to  the  crest  of  the  lower  Fulton  dam 
the  submerged  territory  will  include  some  low  ground  west  of  Minetto, 
a  small  cemetery  just  south  of  Minetto,  a  small  amount  of  land  along 
the  river,  a  portion  of  the  Black  Creek  Valley,  the  Battle  Island 
dam,  and  the  lower  part  of  Fulton,  which  is  thinly  settled,  but 
includes  several  shops  and  factories.  Black  Creek  is  a  small  stream 
which  enters  the  river  from  the  east  about  halfway  between  Minetto 
and  Fulton,  and  Battle  Island  dam  is  located  in  the  river  just  below 
the  mouth  of  Black  Creek.  At  present  it  is  only  used  to  furnish 
water  to  the  Oswego  Canal,  but  the  right  to  the  surplus  waters  for 
power  purposes  is  held  by  private  parties. 

It  is  proposed  to  build  a  dam  a  little  south  of  Minetto  to  raise  the 
water  to  the  desired  elevation,  and,  by  means  of  an  embankment 
through  the  village  and  an  excavated  prism  beyond,  to  extend  the 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


447 


same  level  northward  across  the  summit  between  the  river  and  the 
lake  to  the  outskirts  of  Oswego,  where  the  slope  of  the  ground  makes 
it  necessary  to  lock  down  toward  the  lake.1 

If  the  water  surface  were  fixed  at  a  lower  elevation,  there  would  be 
a  great  increase  of  rock  excavation  in  the  river  channel  and  also  in 
the  earth  excavation  north  of  Minetto,  the  Fulton  dam  would  be  only 
partially  submerged,  and  other  conditions  would  not  be  varied  enough 
to  materially  lessen  the  expense.  If  it  were  fixed  at  a  higher  eleva¬ 
tion,  the  rock  excavation  in  the  river  channel  would  not  be  materi¬ 
ally  lessened;  the  earth  excavation  in  the  canal  prism  north  of  Minetto 
would  be  lessened,  but  the  Minetto  embankment  would  be  increased 
in  height,  which  is  objectionable;  the  additional  property  flooded  in 
Fulton  would  be  more  valuable  in  proportion  than  that  which  it  is 
proposed  to  submerge,  and  the  head  available  for  power  at  the  upper 
Fulton  dam  would  be  lessened.  These  conditions  were  deemed  sufti- 
cient  to  determine  the  elevation  without  making  any  comparative 
estimates. 

The  low-water  elevation  of  Lake  Ontario  is  245.4,  and  the  elevation 
proposed  for  the  water  surface  of  the  river  level  is  331.  The  differ¬ 
ence — 85. 0  feet — has  been  divided  between  four  locks,  each  having  a 
lift  of  21.4  feet.  The  first  is  located  on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  so  as  to 
save  excavation  by  rising  as  quickly  as  possible  above  the  lake  level. 
The  next  two  locks  are  combined  in  one  structure,  and  located  near 
the  Rome,  Watertown  and  Ogdensburg  Railroad  roundhouse,  where 
there  is  a  sudden  rise  of  ground,  which  makes  such  an  arrangement 
economical.  The  fourth  lock  is  located  in  the  southwestern  part  of 
the  city  of  Oswego.2 

The  channel  connecting  the  first  lock  with  deep  water  in  the  lake  is 
about  1,700  feet  long  and  600  feet  wide.  The  material  to  be  excavated 
is  solid  rock.  Timber  cribs  have  been  planned  for  mooring  vessels 
and  guiding  them  into  the  lock,  but  the  question  of  breakwaters  to 
protect  the  entrance  has  not  been  considered  in  this  report.  That 
subject  has  been  treated  separately  in  Appendix  No.  3.  The  design 
of  locks  Nos.  2  and  3  is  such  that  the  water  may  not  always  pass 

1  See  footnote  following  for  change  of  this  proposed  plan. 

2  After  having  been  further  considered  by  the  Board,  the  location  of  the  fourth 
lock  has  been  changed  since  this  report  was  completed.  The  new  location  is  in 
the  village  of  Minetto,  a  short  distance  below  the  proposed  dam  at  this  place.  By 
the  first  location  of  the  lock  the  canal  would  be  carried  through  the  village  for  a 
distance  of  about  a  mile  between  earth  embankmentshaving  an  average  height 
of  about  20  feet  and  a  maximum  height  of  30  feet.  The  interests  involved  by  the 
waterway  itself  and  the  village  below  the  embankment,  should  a  break  occur  in 
the  same,  have  been  deemed  sufficient  to  warrant  the  change.  With  this  location 
the  entire  canal  section  is  below  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  adopted  estimates 
have  been  changed  accordingly,  the  increase  in  cost  over  the  first  location  being, 
for  the  30-foot  channel,  $1,190,413.  and  for  the  21-foot  channel  $.">93,471.  See  plate 
18  for  this  relocation. 


448 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


through  to  the  level  below,  as  required,  so  sluice  gates  and  a  by-pass 
have  been  provided  to  feed  water  around  the  structure. 

The  dam  at  Minetto  is  42  feet  high  above  the  river  bed  and  50  feet 
above  the  rock,  and  has  a  spillway  750  feet  long.  It  is  built  of  con¬ 
crete  and  founded  on  solid  rock,  but  the  wings  are  anchored  in  banks  of 
compact  gravel  and  clay.  While  the  construction  of  the  wings  would 
be  less  difficult  and  expensive  if  they  could  be  built  in  rock,  it  is  be¬ 
lieved  that  they  can  be  made  perfectly  secure  in  the  existing  material. 

No  guard  lock  has  been  planned  where  the  canal  leaves  the  river, 
because  the  fluctuation  of  flow  in  the  Oswego  River  is  not  great,  and 
can  be  provided  for  at  a  less  cost  by  raising  the  lock  walls  at  the  lower 
end  of  the  level  and  the  canal  banks  through  the  village  of  Minetto. 

The  usual  flood  in  the  Oswego  River  is  about  25,000  cubic  feet  per 
second;  the  maximum  flood  recorded  is  about  42,000  cubic  feet  per 
second.  It  is  proposed  at  times  to  turn  10,000  cubic  feet  per  second 
westward  from  the  Mohawk  into  Oneida  Lake.  With  a  spillway  750 
feet  long,  a  flow  of  52,000  cubic  feet  per  second  will  produce  a  depth  on 
its  crest  of  about  8  feet.  The  lock  walls  at  the  lower  end  of  the  level  and 
the  slope  walls  along  the  level  are  planned  10  feet  higher  than  the 
crest  of  the  dam.1 

But  a  flood  of  10,000  cubic  feet  per  second  from  the  Mohawk  would 
spread  out  over  Oneida  Lake  and  probably  be  exhausted  before  it 
could  create  a  flow  of  10,000  cubic  feet  per  second  in  the  Oneida  and 
Oswego  rivers.  Moreover,  to  cause  the  maximum  flood  on  the  Oswego 
would  require  that  a  maximum  flood  should  occur  on  the  Seneca,  the 
Oneida,  and  the  Upper  Mohawk  simultaneously.  Maximum  floods 
usually  occur  when  a  warm  rain  falls  on  a  layer  of  snow.  It  seldom 
happens  that  a  heavy  rain  occurs  on  these  three  streams  at  once,  and 
it  is  still  more  seldom  that  they  are  all  covered  with  snow.  If  Oneida 
Lake  is  made  a  storage  reservoir,  the  condition  of  a  full  reservoir 
would  be  added  to  those  necessary  for  a  maximum  flood,  and  the 
probability  of  its  occurrence  would  be  still  further  lessened. 

In  the  river  level,  where  it  is  necessary  to  increase  the  depth  by 
excavation,  the  submerged  shoulders  of  the  excavated  prism  would 
be  invisible  to  navigators,  and  the  river  currents  would  make  boats 
more  difficult  to  guide  than  when  in  a  regular  canal  prism.  To  lessen 
these  difficulties  the  bottom  width  of  the  channel  in  the  river  has  been 
made  400  feet  instead  of  203  feet  or  250  feet,  as  shown  in  the  regular 
canal  sections. 

The  fifth  lock  is  situated  on  Waterhouse  Creek,  in  the  northeastern 
part  of  Fulton,  and  lias  a  lift  of  224  feet.  The  volume  of  excavation 

1  The  results  of  the  Cornell  experiments,  which  have  become  available  since  Mr. 
Himes  wrote  his  report,  show  that  a  coefficient  of  4  may  be  used  for  ogee  dams. 
Recomputing  the  height  of  high  water  over  the  Minetto  dam,  we  obtain  6.7  instead 
of  8.  This  allows  the  height  of  lock  walls  and  slope  walls  to  be  reduced  1  foot 
and  also  decreases  the  amount  of  territory  estimated  as  flooded.  (See  also  foot¬ 
note  on  the  preceding  page.) 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


449 


could  be  lessened  and  an  equally  good  foundation  secured  by  placing 
the  lock  nearer  the  river.  The  reason  this  was  not  done  is  because 
the  canal  prism  above  the  lock  would  be  excavated  through  beds  of 
gravel  so  coarse  and  porous  that  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  would  hold 
water.  A  more  thorough  examination  of  the  material  might  justify 
the  location  of  the  lock  nearer  the  river,  but  it  is  safer  with  present 
information  to  base  the  estimate  on  the  location  selected. 

The  valley  above  lock  No.  5  rises  quite  rapidly,  and  another  lock, 
with  a  224-foot  lift,  is  planned  1.193  miles  farther  along  the  line. 

In  locating  the  locks  no  attempt  lias  been  made  to  economize  exca¬ 
vation  by  placing  them  so  as  to  require  earthen  embankments  to  form 
the  sides  of  the  prism  just  above,  it  being  considered  that  fhe  interests 
which  would  justify  the  construction  of  so  great  a  waterway  should 
not  be  jeopardized  by  the  use  of  earthen  darns  to  retain  21  feet  or  30 
feet  of  water.  Throughout  the  entire  plan  the  water  surface  has  been 
kept  as  near  as  practicable  to  the  natural  earth  surface,  and  where 
embankments  can  not  be  avoided  there  is  always  a  great  surplus  of 
excavation  which  may  be  used  to  give  them  an  excess  of  strength. 

Lock  No.  6  raises  the  canal  to  the  proposed  low- water  elevation  of 
Oneida  Lake,  which  is  376.  The  lake  level  is  40.833  miles  long,  and 
reaches  from  near  Fulton  across  Oneida  Lake  and  up  the  Wood  Creek 
Valley  5.5  miles  beyond  Sylvan  Beach.  The  line  crosses  the  New 
York,  Ontario,  and  Western  Railway  1.4  miles  beyond  lock  No.  6,  near 
the  summit  of  the  divide  between  Waterhouse  Creek  and  Peter  Scott’s 
swamp.  The  creek  drains  into  the  Oswego  River,  and  the  swamp 
drains  into  the  Oneida  River. 

The  surface  of  the  swamp  is  about  12  feet  lower  than  the  canal 
water  surface,  and  this  is  one  of  the  few  places  where  an  embankment 
has  been  planned.  The  canal  passes  near  the  center  of  the  swamp, 
where  the  earth  is  very  soft  to  a  depth  of  70  feet,  and  the  construction 
of  an  embankment  upon  it  to  hold  12  feet  of  water  would  be  rather 
hazardous ;  but  along  the  banks  of  the  Oneida  River,  on  the  southern 
margin  of  the  swamp,  the  earth  is  much  firmer  and  the  distance 
between  high  ground  on  either  side  is  much  shorter  than  along  the 
line  of  the  canal.  It  has  therefore  been  planned  to  submerge*  the 
entire  swamp  by  building  an  embankment  along  the  river.  Two 
small  creeks  run  through  the  swamp  into  the  river  and  should  be  cut 
off  by  dams  before  building  the  embankment. 

The  embankment  is  to  be  10  feet  higher  than  low-water  surface  in 
the  lake  and  well  lined  with  riprap.  There  is  an  abundance  of  clay 
and  gravel  with  which  to  build  it,  and  the  great  volume  of  material  to 
be  excavated  in  Sand  Ridge  on  the  east  side  of  the  swamp  may  be 
used  to  give  it  a  cross  section  largely  in  excess  of  any  possible 
requirement. 

The  deepest  cut  on  the  line  is  encountered  in  Sand  Ridge,  the  maxi¬ 
mum  being  about  84  feet. 

H.  Doc.  149 - 29 


450 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


At  the  crossing  of  the  Oneida  River  on  the  east  side  of  the  ridge  a  weir 
has  been  planned  to  raise  the  water  surface  of  the  river  and  lake  perma¬ 
nently  to  an  elevation  of  376,  which  is  the  highest  known  stage  of  the 
lake.  It  is  proposed  to  build  a  timber  structure,1  with  gates  to  be  used 
when  necessary,  to  maintain  the  low-water  flow  of  the  stream.  The 
foundation,  as  shown  by  the  nearest  borings,  is  compact,  gravelly  earth. 

To  provide  for  evaporation  and  to  maintain  the  present  supply  for 
power  purposes  at  Phoenix  and  Fulton  during  the  summer  months, 
the  crest  of  the  weir  is  raised  to  378,  thus  making  a  storage  depth  of 
2  feet.  The  excess  of  evaporation  over  precipitation  during  naviga¬ 
tion  season  will  not  exceed  16  inches,2  and  the  balance,  8  inches,  may 
be  used  for  power  purposes.  The  data  to  determine  just  how  much 
water  is  needed  to  maintain  the  low-water  flow  of  the  stream  are  not 
available,  but,  when  it  is  determined,  the  storage  depth  could  be  varied 
sufficiently  to  furnish  the  required  amount  without  materially  affect¬ 
ing  the  present  estimate. 

The  crest  of  the  weir  is  to  be  800  feet  long  and  will  discharge  a  flow 
of  22,000  cubic  feet  per  second  with  a  depth  of  4.1  feet  on  its  crest. 

The  maximum  flood  in  the  Oswego  River  is  about  42,000  cubic  feet 
per  second.  The  area  of  the  watershed  is  5,002  square  miles,  10.6 
per  cent  of  which  lies  north  of  Three  River  Point.  If  we  assume  that 
the  maximum  flood  at  Three  River  Point  is  42,000  cubic  feet  per  sec¬ 
ond,  and  that  it  is  divided  between  the  Oneida  and  Seneca  rivers  in 
proportion  to  the  areas  of  their  respective  watersheds,  the  flow  from 
the  Oneida  is  12,000  cubic  feet  per  second,  and  that  from  the  Seneca 
is  30,000  cubic  feet  per  second. 

But  in  the  Oneida  basin  the  pondage  area  is  15.55  per  cent  of  the 
total  and  in  the  Seneca  basin  the  pondage  area  is  8.9  per  cent  of  the 
total,  so  it  is  probable  that  the  discharge  of  the  Seneca  would  be  the 
greater  in  proportion  and  that  the  flow  assumed  for  the  Oneida  is 
excessive. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  in  time  of  maximum  flood  it  is 
intended  to  turn  10,000  cubic  feet  per  second  westward  from  the 
Mohawk,  and  the  sum  of  the  two  volumes,  22,000  cubic  feet  per  sec¬ 
ond,  is  the  amount  for  which  the  weir  is  planned. 

In  the  case3  of  ordinary  floods  there  would  be  no  flow  from  the 
Mohawk,  and  the  Oswego  flood  of  25,000  cubic  feet  per  second  pro¬ 
portioned  between  the  Seneca  and  Oneida  rivers,  as  before,  would 
produce  a  depth  on  the  weir  of  1.92  feet.4 

1  In  the  finals  this  clam  was  estimated  to  be  built  of  concrete. 

2  See  low-ievel  plan,  water  supply. 

3  See  Report  on  Water  Supply,  Appendix  No.  16. 

4  Since  Mr.  Himes’s  report  was  completed,  the  control  of  the  Oneida  River  has 
been  further  considered  by  the  Board,  and  the  adopted  estimates  changed,  as  out¬ 
lined  below.  By  Mr.  Himes's  plan,  flash  boards  or  some  form  of  movable  dam 
would  be  required  to  raise  the  crest  of  the  weir  2  feet  at  low  water.  It  was 
thought  that  flash  boards  2  feet  high  would  hardly  be  in  accordance  with  a  work 
of  this  character.  Since  a  movable  dam  must  be  built,  a  dam  with  2-foot  head 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


451 


By  this  arrangement,  if  it  should  happen  that  an  extreme  flood 
occurred  simultaneously  in  the  Mohawk,  Oneida,  and  Seneca  rivers, 
the  extra  volume  of  10,000  cubic  feet  per  second  from  the  Mohawk 
would  make  a  higher  flood  than  has  yet  occurred  at  Three  River  Point. 
Such  a  contingency  is  not  likely  to  occur,  but  if  it  did,  little  damage 
would  be  done  beyond  the  flooding  of  an  increased  area  of  farming 
land.  Even  this  damage  could  be  avoided  by  building  a  bear  trap  in 
the  present  Phoenix  dam;  but  it  is  thought  unnecessary  and  has  not 
been  included  in  the  estimate. 

A  flood  in  the  Oswego  River  below  Phoenix,  10,000  cubic  feet  per 
second  in  excess  of  the  maximum  flood  recorded,  would  probably  do  a 
little  damage  at  Fulton.  Below  that,  if  the  canal  should  follow  the 
river  to  the  lake,  as  described  later,  the  increased  section  of  waterway 
would  carry  the  flood  without  difficulty.  If  the  canal  should  leave 
the  river  at  Minetto,  as  above  described,  an  excessive  flood  would  do 
some  damage  at  Minetto  and  Oswego;  but  such  a  flood  would  occur  so 
rarely,  if  at  all,  and  the  damage  would  be  so  small,  that  it  would  be 
cheaper  to  pay  the  damage  than  to  provide  works  to  avoid  it. 

The  lowest  stage  of  the  water  in  Oneida  Lake  is  probably  368.5,  and 
the  highest  376.  No  very  valuable  property  would  be  injured  by  rais¬ 
ing  the  water  surface  to  378,  except  at  Sylvan  Beach.  There  the 
ground  is  so  low  that  practically  the  whole  place  would  be  destined. 
The  tracks  of  the  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western  and  the  Lehigh 
Valley  railroads,  which  cross  the  valley  near  Sylvan  Beach  would  need 
to  be  raised  a  few  feet  and  the  embankments  heavily  riprapped. 

The  line  adopted  through  the  lake  is  that  of  least  excavation.  It 
has  but  two  curves,  one  a  little  west  of  the  center  of  the  lake  and 
the  other  at  the  entrance  to  the  canal  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  lake. 
A  straight  channel  could  be  made  through  the  lake  at  a  somewhat 
greater  expense  for  excavation ;  and  in  the  case  of  a  21-foot  channel 
the  increased  excavation  would  be  so  slight  that  the  straight  channel 
might  be  preferable  to  the  one  adopted. 

The  lake  is  less  than  30  feet  deep  for  a  distance  of  6.8  miles,  meas¬ 
ured  from  its  western  end.  At  the  eastern  end  there  is  only  one-half 
mile  of  water  less  than  30  feet  deep.  Where  it  is  necessary  to  dredge 
a  channel  the  proposed  bottom  width  is  600  feet,  so  that  open-water 
navigation  will  practically  extend  the  whole  length  of  the  lake. 

Here  and  in  Peter  Scott’s  swamp  the  material  is  so  soft  that  the 
excavation  has  been  estimated  on  slopes  of  1  on  3  instead  of  1  on  2, 
as  shown  on  the  standard  cross  section. 

would  not  cost  materially  less  per  linear  foot  than  one  with  5  feet  of  head.  It  is 
therefore  proposed  to  reduce  the  length  of  weir  to  300  feet  and  the  elevation  of 
crest  of  the  fixed  portion  to  373.  The  movable  portion  of  the  dam  is  designed  to 
raise  the  elevation  of  crest  to  378.  The  sluice  gates  mentioned  by  Mr.  Himes  are 
designed  for  a  high-water  discharge  of  10,000  cubic  second-feet.  This  leaves 
12,000  as  the  maximum  discharge  over  the  weir.  Using  3.5  as  the  coefficient  of 
discharge,  the  depth  of  flow  on  the  fixed  weir  at  high  water  would  be  5.1,  or  the 
high-water  elevation  would  be  378.1. 


452 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Fish  Creek,  which  unites  with  Wood  Creek  just  before  it  enters 
Oneida  Lake,  is  a  much  larger  stream  than  the  latter  and  carries  large 
volumes  of  silt  into  Oneida  Lake.  It  is  therefore  impracticable  to 
receive  it  into  the  canal,  and  an  estimate  has  been  made  for  a  diver¬ 
sion  channel  to  turn  its  waters  into  Oneida  Lake,  north  of  the  canal 
entrance. 

Two  timber  crib  piers  are  provided  at  Sylvan  Beach  to  prevent  the 
loose  sand  on  the  shore  from  being  washed  into  the  channel. 

At  the  west  end  of  the  lake  the  material  is  more  compact  and  no 
such  protection  is  required. 

The  next  lock,  which  is  the  seventh  from  the  beginning,  is  located 
at  the  first  place  east  of  the  lake,  where  the  ground  is  high  and  firm 
enough  to  build  at  a  higher  level  and  where  a  suitable  lock  founda¬ 
tion  exists.  The  lock  is  a  little  south  of  Wood  Creek  and  has  a  lift 
of  20  feet. 

The  eighth  lock,  which  is  the  last  of  the  ascending  series,  has  also  a 
lift  of  20  feet,  and  is  located  4.356  miles  beyond  Lock  No.  7  and  about 
4  miles  west  from  Rome.  The  water  surface  of  the  summit  level  has 
an  elevation  of  416  feet  above  the  sea  and  170.6  feet  above  low  water 
in  Lake  Ontario. 

The  subject  of  floods  on  the  Mohawk  has  been  investigated  by  Mr. 
Rafter,  and  it  is  understood  that  a  flow  of  35,000  cubic  feet  per  sec¬ 
ond  at  Little  Falls  can  be  taken  safely  down  the  river.  It  is  to  pro¬ 
vide  for  the  contingency  of  a  greater  flood  that  plans  have  been  made 
to  take  10,000  cubic  feet  per  second  westward  from  the  summit  level 
into  Oneida  Lake.  To  do  this  by-passes  have  been  designed  to  con¬ 
vey  the  water  around  Locks  Nos.  7  and  8,  and  the  discharge  through 
the  passes  would  be  controlled  by  gates,  so  that  no  water  at  all  would 
go  that  way  except  when  desired. 

West  of  Rome  the  line  crosses  a  wide  plain  through  which  it  fol¬ 
lows  the  line  of  greatest  depression  of  the  underlying  rock.  At  Rome, 
where  there  is  no  rock,  it  passes  through  the  southern  outskirts  of  the 
city  along  the  lowest  ground  between  the  Wood  Creek  and  Mohawk 
basins. 

From  Rome  eastward  to  the  end  of  the  division  the  Mohawk  is  too 
small  to  be  considered  in  the  location  of  the  canal.  The  river  is  so 
crooked  that  it  is  frequently  crossed  by  the  canal,  but  the  section  of 
the  latter  is  so  much  the  greater,  and  near  Rome  its  water  surface  is 
so  much  lower,  that  it  would  carry  all  the  drainage  and  the  river 
channel  would  be  of  no  further  use. 

About  a  mile  east  of  Rome,  on  the  south  side  of  the  valley,  the 
canal  passes  through  a  rock  cut  in  which  it  is  proposed  to  receive  the 
water  of  the  Mohawk.  The  channel  is  enlarged  to  lessen  the  disturb¬ 
ance  that  may  be  caused  by  the  currents,  and  a  basin  and  weir  are 
planned  to  intercept  the  gravel  and  silt  that  may  be  borne  down  by 
the  stream. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


453 


At  Oriskany  there  is  planned  a  weir  and  lock,  having  a  lift  of  20 
feet.  This  lock  is  the  first  in  the  descending  series  east  of  Rome. 
Oriskany  Creek  is  to  be  received  into  the  pool  above  the  weir,  and 
will  in  no  way  affect  the  canal. 

A  similar  weir  and  dam  are  planned  at  Frankfort,  the  lift  being  20 
feet  as  at  Oriskany.  The  locations  of  both  these  locks  are  determined 
by  the  presence  of  rock  that  may  serve  as  foundations. 

The  Frankfort  lock  is  the  tenth  and  last  on  the  western  division. 
The  elevation  of  water  surface  below  the  lock  is  376,  the  same  as  on 
Oneida  Lake.  Some  additional  work  is  required  to  collect  the  waters 
of  the  small  streams  between  Rome  and  Frankfort  and  convey  them 
to  places  where  they  can  be  received  into  the  canal  without  injury  to 
its  slopes.  This  work  has  been  included  in  the  estimates. 

In  making  the  excavations  between  Rome  and  Frankfort,  it  will  be 
necessary  in  those  places  where  the  material  is  very  soft  to  carry  it  a 
considerable  distance  from  the  channel  in  order  to  prevent  the  super¬ 
imposed  weight  from  forcing  in  the  banks  of  the  canal. 

With  the  exception  of  the  Oneida  River  dam,  all  of  the  structures 
have  foundations  of  solid  rock.  No  borings  have  been  made  since  the 
various  structures  have  been  located,  save  in  the  case  of  the  upper 
lock  at  Fulton,  and  consequently  it  may  be  expected  that  a  detailed 
examination  of  the  lock  sites  might  show  an  occasional  slight  change 
of  location  to  be  desirable,  but  the  borings  that  were  made  are  suffi¬ 
cient  to  show  the  presence  of  rock,  so  that  the  locations  could  be 
selected  within  narrow  limits. 

The  estimates  have  been  made  according  to  standard  plans  and 
prices,  which  are  fully  described  in  the  report  of  your  Board,  and  need 
not  be  discussed  here. 

Table  No.  1  gives  the  lengths  of  levels,  lifts,  and  costs  of  the  locks; 
Table  No.  2  gives  the  location,  kind*  and  cost  of  the  bridges;  Table 
No.  3  shows  the  alignment;  Table  No.  4  gives  the  different  classes 
of  navigation  with  the  percentages  of  each,  and  Tables  Nos.  5  and  6 
give  the  total  estimated  costs  of  21  and  30  foot  channels,  respectively. 
These  six  tables  all  pertain  to  the  high-level  plan. 


Table  No.  1. — Locks  for  high-level  plan. 


Xo.  of 
lock. 

Location  of  lock. 

Single  or 
double 

Elevation  of  low 
water. 

Lift,  in 
feet. 

Length 
of  level, 

lock. 

Below. 

Above. 

in  miles. 

1  _ 

Oswego,  X.  Y . 

Single .... 
Double . . . 
Single .... 
. do _ 

245.4 
200. 8 
309.6 
331.0 

353. 5 
370. 0 
390. 0 
390.0 
376.0 

266.8 
309.6 
331.0 
353. 5 
370. 0 
390.0 
416. 0 
410.0 
396.0 

21.4 

42.8 

21.4 

22.5 
22.5 
20. 0 
20.0 
20. 0 
20. 0 

2  and  3. 
4 _ 

_ do  . .  . . 

0. 890 
4. 384 
5.900 
1.193 
40.833 
4. 350 
13.  048 
15.000 
4.529 

Minetto,  N.  Y . . . 

Pulton,  X.  Y . 

6 . 

7.. . 

....  do . . . 

. do _ 

6  miles  east  of  Sylvan  Beach . 

. do _ 

8  . 

4  miles  west  of  Rome . . . 

. do _ 

9 

Oriskany.  N.  Y . 

Frankfort,  N.  Y . . . . 

. do _ 

. .  .do .. 

10 

Head  gates,  lock  10,  to  end  of  division . 

Total . . 

210.5 

90.733 

454 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Table  No.  1. — Locks  for  high-level  plain — Continued. 

COST. 


N o.  of  lock. 

30-foot 

channel. 

21-foot 

channel. 

Operating 
machin¬ 
ery,  30- 
foot  and 
21-foot 
channels. 

1  . 

$1,054,942 
3,456,980 
1,109,991 
1, 076,  693 
1,072,  443 
1,031.659 
1,031,659 
1,042,387 
1,042,387 

$641, 108 
2,179.291 
681,426 
662,834 
662, 808 
634,  733 
626,933 
634, 481 
634, 481 

$100,000 
175, 000 
100,000 
100,000 
100,000 
100,000 
100, 000 
100, 000 
100,000 

2  and  3 _ . _ 

4 . 

t) . 

8  . . . 

9  . 

lo::::::::::::;;::;;;:::;::::::::::;:::::::::::;;:::::::::::.::: 

Operating  machinery- _ _ - _ 

11,919,141 

975,000 

7, 358, 095 
975, 000 

975,000 

Total . . . .  . . . 

12,894,141 

8, 333, 095 

Note.— In  giving  the  lifts  of  locks  no  account  is  made  of  the  fluctuations  of  water  surfaces 
due  to  natural  causes. 


Table  No.  2. — Bridges  for  high-level  plan. 


Location. 


Oswego,  N.  Y  . 

Dc . 

Near  Oswego,  N.Y 

Minetto,  N.Y . 

Fulton,  N.Y . 

Do . 

Caughnedoy.N.Y1 
Brewerton,  N.Y. 
Sylvan  Beach, N.Y 

Rome,  N.Y . 

Do . 

Utica,  N.  Y . 

Do . 

Near  Utica,  N .  Y. . 

Do . 

Frankfort,  N.  Y  .. 

Ilion,  N.  Y  . . 

Herkimer,  N,  Y. .. 


Total  . 


Sta¬ 

tion. 

Kind  of 
bridge. 

Num¬ 
ber  of 
tracks. 

Fixed  or 
swing. 

Num¬ 
ber  of 
spans. 

15 

Highway 

Swing.... 

1 

87 

Railway  . 

2 

. do _ 

1 

no 

Higliwav 

. do _ 

1 

275 

_ do _ 

. do _ 

1 

554 

Railway  . 

1 

. do _ 

1 

582 

Highway 

_ do _ 

1 

_ do 

Fixed .... 

9 

1403 

Railway  . 

1 

Swing.... 

1 

2550 

_ do _ 

1 

. do - 

1 

3292 

Highway 

. do _ 

l 

3304 

Railway  . 

1 

. do _ 

1 

3995 

. do _ 

1 

. do _ 

l 

4038 

Highway 

. do _ 

l 

4236 

Railway  - 

2 

. do _ 

1 

4242 

. do  — 

2 

. do _ 

1 

4555 

Highway 

_ do _ 

l 

4648 

_ ~do _ 

. do _ 

l 

4747 

. do _ 

. do _ 

1 

30-foot  channel. 

21-foot  channel. 

Total 

length. 

Esti¬ 

mated 

cost. 

Total 

length. 

Esti¬ 

mated 

cost. 

545.0 

$68,24(3 

525. 0 

$66,  796 

550.0 

221,429 

530. 0 

196,161 

545.0 

116. 534 

525. 0 

98, 138 

235.0 

19, 986 

195. 0 

16.6,50 

537. 5 

152, 916 

517.5 

132. 174 

235.0 

19, 986 

195.0 

16, 650 

400.0 

25, 090 

400. 0 

25. 090 

537. 5 

141.362 

517.5 

134, 14(3 

537. 5 

141, 184 

517.5 

125, 796 

545. 0 

95, 456 

525.0 

80, 820 

537.  5 

142,548 

517. 5 

117,236 

537. 5 

137, 444 

517. 5 

117.236 

545.0 

95, 456 

525.  0 

80, 820 

550. 0 

221,429 

530. 0 

196, 161 

550.0 

221,429 

530.0 

196, 161 

235.0 

19, 986 

195. 0 

16,650 

545.0 

95, 456 

525.0 

80, 820 

545.0 

95, 456 

525.  0 

80,820 

2,031,387 

1,782,500 

1  Not  over  channel. 

Table  No.  3. — High-level  plan. 


Length  of 
tangent. 

Length  of 
curve. 

Minimum 
radius  of 
curvature. 

Degree  of 
curvature. 

Percent¬ 
age  of 
tangent. 

Percent¬ 
age  of- 
curvature. 

Miles. 

70,990 

Miles. 

19, 743 

Feet. 

4,523.4 

O  / 

687  31 

78.24 

21.76 

Table  No.  4. — High-level  plan. 


Miles. 

Per  cent. 

Open  water . . . 

20. 928 

23.06 

Improved  waterways . 

4.962 

5.47 

Canal  prism . . 

64.843 

71.47 

Total . 

90.733 

100.00 

DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


455 


Table  No.  5. — Estimate — Oswego-Mohawk  route,  western  division. 

HIGH-LEVEL  PLAN— 30-POOT  CHANNEL. 

Lake  Ontario  section  (station  —26  +  00  to  —9  +20): 

Excavation — 

Submerged  rock,  349,670  cubic  yards,  at  $2 . . .  $699,  340 

Breakwater  (Appendix  No.  3)  . . . . . . .  1, 190,317 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  2,415,600  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M_ . _ . .  72, 468 

Hemlock,  5,840.620  feet  B.  M. ,  at$23  per  M .  134, 334 

Oak,  97,920  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M . .  4, 896 

Iron,  742,870  pounds,  at  3  cents. . . .  22, 286 

Stone  fill,  102,034  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . .  61, 220 


Total . . . . . . . . .  2,184,861 


Oswego- Minetto  section  (station  —9  +  20  to  288  +  00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  dry,  11,866,321  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents .  2, 373, 264 

Rock,  dry,  1,969,596  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents .  .  1,280,  237 

Retaining  wall,  143,479  cubic  yards,  at  $4 .  573, 916 

Masonry  in  by-passes.  4.300  cubic  yards,  at  $4 .  17, 200 

Slope  wall,  68,448  square  yards,  at  $1.10  .  75. 293 

Back  fill,  449,336  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  112, 334 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  2,374,400  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M  .  71, 232 

Hemlock,  6,992,000  feet  B.  M. ,  at  $23  per  M .  160, 816 

Oak.  96,920  feet  B.  M..at  $25  per  M . . . .  2,423 

Iron,  786,632  pounds,  at  3  cents  . . . .  23,  599 

Stone  fill,  125,856  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents .  75, 514 

Railroad  and  highway  changes . . .  29, 660 

Locks— 

No.  1 . 1,054,942 

Nos.  2  and  3 .  3,456,980 

No.  4 .  1,109,991 

Lock-operating  machinery — 

2  sets  single,  at  $100,000 .  200, 000 

1  set  double,  at  $175,000 .  175, 000 

Bridges . . .  426, 189 

Right  of  way — 

City  property,  277  acres,  at  $2,080 .  576, 160 

Farm  land,  729  acres,  at  $200 . . .  145, 800 


Total . .  . . .  11,940,550 


Minetto-Fulton  section  (stations  288+00  to  550+00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  1,911,170  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents .  344,011 

Rock,  dry,  117,268  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents .  76, 224 

Slope  wall,  14,508  square  yards,  at  $1.10 .  15,959 

Minetto  dam  (No.  1)  — 

Excavation,  25,567  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents .  5, 113 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  44,913  cubic  yards,  at  $6 .  269, 478 

Cofferdams,  estimated  cost . . . . .  55, 000 

Railroad  and  highway  changes . .  25, 670 


456 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Minetto-Fulton  section — Continued. 

Right  of  way: 

Farm  land,  1,154  acres,  at  $100- . .  $115,400 

Swamp  land,  408  acres,  at  $12.50 . . . .  5, 100 

Water  rights,  Battle  Island  dam . . .  150,000 


Total...... . — . . .  1,061,955 


Fulton-Brewerton  section  (stations  550  +  00  to  1410  +  00): 

Excavation  — 

Earth,  dry,  29,190,187  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . . ... .  5,254,234 

Rock,  dry,  2,047,113  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents _  1, 330, 623 

Dike  in  Peter  Scott’s  swamp: 

Excavation,  383,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents  . .  .  68,940 

Embankment,  588,000  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents _  147,000 

Riprap,  71,000  cubic  yards,  at  90  cents _ _  63,900 

Retaining  wall,  129,353  cubic  yards,  at  $4...  . .  517,412 

Slope  wall,  201,946  square  yards,  at  $1.10...  _ ... -  222,141 

Back  fill,  548,894  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents. _  _  _ _ _  137, 224 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  1,903,200  feet  B.  M..  at  $30  per  M . . .  57,096 

Hemlock,  7,423,680  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M .  170,745 

Oak,  52,560  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M. . . . .  2,628 

Iron,  788,404  pounds,  at  3  cents . . . . .  23, 652 

Stone.  125,172  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents. . . . .  75, 103 

Oneida  River  dam  (No.  2)  — 

Excavation,  14,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents  _ _  2,  520 

Embankment.  43,700  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents  . .  6,  555 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  6,018  cubic  yards,  at  $6 .  36, 108 

Two  Stoney  gates  to  discharge  10,000  cubic  feet  per  second _  46,250 

Movable  dam,  5  feet  high,  300  feet  long,  at  $9.40  per  linear  foot.  2, 820 

Operating  machinery _  _  _ ....  _  1, 000 

Railroad  and  highway  changes . . . . .  73, 400 

Steam  ferries,  4,  at  $20,000 _ _ _ _ _  80, 000 

Locks — 

No.  5 . . . . . . . . . .  1,076.693 

No.  6 . . . . . . . . .  1,072,443 

Lock-operating  machinery,  2  sets  single,  at  $100,000  . . .  200.000 

Bridges .  . . . .  339,  354 

Right  of  way — 

Village  property,  Fulton,  N.  Y.,  55  acres,  at  $2,600 .  143.  000 

Farm  land,  5,910  acres,  at  $100. . .  591, 000 

Swamp  land.  2,446  acres,  at  $12.50 _ _ _ _  30,575 

Water  rights,  Fulton.  N.  Y . . .  806.000 


Total . .  .  12,578,416 


Brewerton  to  lock  No.  7  section  (station  1410  +  00  to  2782  +  00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  15,736,440  cubic  yards,  at  8  cents. .  1,258,915 

Rock,  wet,  719,100  cubic  yards,  at  $2 _ _ _  _ _  1.438,200 

Fish  Creek  diversion,  earth,  308,000  cubic  yards,  at  8  cents _  24.  640 

Slope  wall.  94,746  square  yards,  at  $1.10  . .  104, 221 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


457 


Brewerton  to  lock  No.  7  section,  etc. — Continued. 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  1,560,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M.  .  $46,800 

Hemlock,  5,769,100  feet  B.  M.,at$23  per  M .  132,689 

Oak,  43,560  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M .  2, 178 

Iron,  616,342  pounds,  at  3  cents . .  18,490 

Stone  fill,  97,566  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . . .  58, 540 

Railroad  and  highway  changes  . . . „ . .  112, 638 

Bridges . .. .  141, 184 

Right  of  way — 

Farm  land,  10,541  acres,  at  $100... . . .  1,054.  100 

Swamp  land,  4,800  acres,  at  $12.50  .  60, 000 

Village  property,  Sylvan  Beach . . .  109,000 


Total . . . . .  4,561,595 


Lock  No.  7,  Fort  Bull  section  (station  2782+00  to  3164+00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  15,702,581  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents  ...  .  3,140,516 

Rock,  dry.  257.522  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents  . .  180,265 

Retaining  wall,  47,330  cubic  yards,  at  $4  . . .  189, 320 

Masonry  in  by-pass,  10,000  cubic  yards,  at  $4 . . .  40. 000 

Slope  wall,  100,467  square  yards,  at  $1.10 . 110,514 

Back  fill,  425,084  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . . .  106, 271 

Crib  work — 

Pine.  2,854.800  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M .  85, 644 

Hemlock.  10,897,220  feet  B.  M. ,  at  $23  per  M  . . .  250,  636 

Oak.  78.840  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M . . . .  3, 942 

Iron.  1.160,606  pounds,  at  3  cents  . .  34,818 

Stone  fill,  184,098  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents .  110,  459 

Highway  changes  . . . . . .  680 

Steam  ferry,  1 . . . . . .  20. 000 

Locks — 

No.  7 . . . . . . .  1,031,659 

No.  8 . .  . .  1,031.659 

Lock-operating  machinery.  2  sets  single,  at  $t00,000 . .  200,  000 

Right  of  way— 

Farm  land,  943  acres,  at  $100 . . . . .  94, 300 


Total . . .  6,630,683 


Fort  Bull — Herkimer  section  (station  3164  +  00  to  4789  +  91.5) : 

Excavation — 

Earth,  61,434,573  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents. . . .  11,058,223 

Rock,  dry,  494,380  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents .  346.066 

Retaining  wall,  73,685  cubic  yards,  at  $4. . .  294, 740 

Masonry  in  by-passes,  receivers,  etc.,  27,400  cubic  yards,  at  $4 _  109, 600 

Slope  wall,  841,185  square  yards,  at  $1.10.. . . .  925,303 

Back  fill.  378,858  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  . . . .  94, 715 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  2.277,600  feet  B.  M..  at  $30  per  M. . . .  68, 328 

Hemlock,  8,832,200  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M . .  203, 141 

Oak,  62,880  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M .  3, 144 

Iron,  964,024  pounds,  at  3  cents .  28,921 

Stone  fill,  143,297  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . . .  85, 978 


458 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Fort  Bull — Herkimer  section,  etc. — Continued. 

Dams — 

Oriskany,  N.  Y.  (No.  3) — 

Excavation,  787,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents .  $141.  660 

Masonry  in  dams  and  abutments,  21,835  cubic  yards,  at  $6.  131.  010 

Timber  in  grillage  foundation,  1,101,372  feet  B.  M. ,  at  $22 

perM . . . .  24,230 

Piles  in  foundation,  155,100  linear  feet,  at  20  cents .  31, 020 

Sheet  piling.  128,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $33  per  M .  4, 224 

Iron.  80,000  pounds,  at  3  cents  . . . . _  2, 400 

Stoney  gate  to  discharge  500  cubic  feet  per  second .  2,  000 

Frankfort,  N.  Y.  (No.  4) — 

Excavation,  639,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents .  . 115,020 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  21,835  cubic  yards,  at  $6.  131, 010 

Timber  in  grillage  foundation,  1.101,372  feet  B.  M.,  at  $22 

perM..._ _ _ _ _ _ _  24,230 

Piles  in  foundation,  155,100  linear  feet,  at  20  cents .  31, 020 

Sheet  piling,  128.000  feet  B,  M.,  at  $33  per  M .  4, 224 

Iron,  80,000  pounds,  at  3  cents . . . .  2, 400 

Railroad  and  highway  changes .  450, 170 

Steam  ferry,  1 . 20,000 

Locks — 

No.  9  .  1,042.387 

No.  10 . 1,042,387 

Lock-operating  machinery,  2  sets  single,  at  $100,000  .. . .  200, 000 

Bridges . .  1,124,660 

Right  of  way — 

Farm  land,  10,335  acres,  at  $100 . .  1,  033,  500 

Total . 18,775,711 

TOTAL  COST. 

Lake  Ontario'section . — . . . $2, 184, 861 

Oswego-Minetto  section . . . . . . .  11, 940, 550 

Minetto-Fulton  section . .  1,061,955 

Fulton-Brewerton  section . . . . . .  12. 578, 416 

Brewerton-Lock  No.  7  section.  . , . . . . .  4,561,595 

Lock  No.  7- Fort  Bull  section. . . .  6, 630,  683 

Fort  Bull-Herkimer  section . . . . . . .  18, 775, 71 1 

Water  Supply,  Appendix  No.  16 .  18, 080, 752 

Total . 75,814,523 

Table  No.  6. — Estimate — Oswego- Mohawk  route,  western  division. 

HIGH  LEVEL  PLAN-21-FOOT  CHANNEL. 

Lake  Ontario  section  (station  —  20  +  09  to  —9  +  20) : 

Excavation— 

Submerged  rock,  152.361  cubic  yards,  at  $2...  . .  $304,722 

Breakwater,  Appendix  No.  3 .  .  721, 380 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  2.416,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M .  72, 480 

Hemlock.  3,096.800  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M .  _  71, 226 

Oak,  83.600  feet  B.  M. .  at  $50  per  M  . . .  4, 180 

Iron,  490,585  pounds,  at  3  cents . . .  14, 718 

Stone  fill,  63,325  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents.. .  .  37, 995 

Total... . .  1,226,701 


DEEP  WATEKWAYS. 


459 


Oswego-Minetto  section  (station  —  9  4-  20  to  288  4-  00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  dry,  9,300,777  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents . $1,860,155 

Rock,  dry,  843,884  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents .  548, 525 

Retaining  wall,  97,906  cubic  yards,  at  $4 . . .  391, 624 

Masonry  in  by-passes,  4,300  cubic  yards,  at  $4. . .  17, 200 

Slope  wall,  88,288  square  yards,  at  $1.10 .  97, 117 

Back  fill,  348,900  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  87,225 

Crib  work — 

Pine.  2,374,400  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M .  71, 232 

Hemlock,  4.893,400  feet  B.M..  at  $23  per  M .  112,571 

Oak.  53,760  feet  B.  M. ,  at  $50  per  M  . .  2, 688 

Iron,  593,600  pounds,  at  3  cents . . .  17,808 

Stone  fill,  94,576  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents .  56, 746 

Railroad  and  highway  changes .  29, 660 

Locks — 

No.  1 . 641,108 

Nos.  2  and  3 . 2,179,291 

No.  4 .  681,426 

Lock- operating  machinery — 

2  sets  single,  at  $100,000 . . .  200, 000 

1  set  double,  at  $175,000 . 175,000 

Bridges . . 377,745 

Right  of  way— 

City  property,  277  acres,  at  $2,080 .  576, 160 

Farm  land,  729  acres,  at  $200 . . .  145, 800 


Total .  8.269,081 


Minetto-Fulton  section  (station  288—00  to  550—00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  914.740  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents  . .  164, 653 

Slope  wall,  13,414  square  yards,  at  $1.10 .  14,755 

Minetto  Dam  (No.  1)  — 

Excavation,  25,567  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents .  5, 113 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  44,913  cubic  yards,  at  $6 .  269, 478 

Cofferdams . . . .  55, 000 

Railroad  and  highway  changes  .... . . .  25, 670 

Right  of  way — 

Water  rights,  Battle  Island  Dam .  150, 000 

Farm  land,  1,154  acres,  at  $100 . . . . ...  115,400 

Swamp  land,  408  acres,  at  $12.50 .  5, 100 


Total . . . . .  805,169 


Fulton-Brewerton  section  (station  550—00  to  1410—00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  21,192,092  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents .  3, 814, 576 

Rock,  dry,  941,910  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents . .  612,241 

Peter  Scott’s  Swamp  Dike — 

Excavation,  383,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents  . . . .  68, 940 

Embankment,  588,000  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  147,000 

Riprap,  71,000  cubic  yards,  at  90  cents .  63, 900 

Retaining  wall,  71,756  cubic  yards,  at  $4  .  287, 024 

Slope  wall,  196,551  square  yards,  at  $1.10 .  .  216,206 

Back  fill,  356,371  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  ... .  89,013 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


460 

Fultou-Brewerton  section,  etc. — Continued. 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  2,449,200  feet  B.  M. .  at  $30  per  M . $73,476 

Hemlock.  6,836,300  feet  B.  M., at  $23  per  M . .  157, 235 

Oak,  70,200  feet  B.  M.,at  $50  per  M . 3,510 

Iron,  776,277  pounds,  at  3  cents . . . .  23, 288 

Stone  fill,  120.978  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . . . .  72,  587 

Oneida  River  Dam  (No.  2)  — 

Excavation,  14,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . . .  2,  520 

Embankment,  43,700  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . .  6,  555 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  6,018  cubic  yards,  at  $6 .  36, 108 

Two  gates  (Stoney  to  discharge  10,000  cubic  feet  per  second) ..  46, 250 

Movable  dam  5  feet  high,  300  feet  long,  at  $9.40  per  linear  foot.  2, 820 

Operating  machinery  . .  . . . __  .  1, 000 

Railroad  and  highway  changes .  . .. . . .  73,400 

Steam  ferries,  4,  at  $20,000  . .  80, 000 

Locks — 

No.  5 . . . - . . . .  662,834 

No.  6 . . . .  . .  662,808 

Lock-operating  machinery — 

Two  sets  single . . . . .  200,  000 

Bridges . - .  - . . . . .  308.030 

Right  of  way — 

Village  property,  Fulton.  N.  Y.,  55  acres,  at  $2,600 .  143, 000 

Farm  land,  5,910  acres,  at  $100_. . ; .  591,000 

Swamp  land,  2,446  acres,  at  $12.50 _ _ _ _  30, 575 

Water  rights,  Fulton.  N.  Y  . . . .  806.000 


Total . . . . . . .  9,282,006 


Brewerton — Lock  No.  7  section  (station  1410+00  to  2782+00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  8,089,246  cubic  yards,  at  8  cents _ _ _  647, 140 

Rock,  wet,  171,046  cubic  yards,  at  $2 . .  342,  092 

Fish  Creek  diversion — 

Excavation,  earth,  308,000  cubic  yards,  at  8  cents . .  24,640 

Slope  wall,  108,540  square  yards,  at  $1.10 . __  119,394 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  1,210,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M . . . . .  36,300 

Hemlock,  3,483,760  feet  B.  M..  at  $23  per  M_ _ _  _ _ _  80. 126 

Oak,  31,680  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M . - . - .  1.584 

Iron,  366,080  pounds,  at  3  cents.  . . .  10,982 

Stone  fill,  56,760  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . .  34, 056 

.*  .  • 

Railroad  and  highway  changes . . .  112, 638 

Bridges  __  . . .  .  125,  796 

Right  of  way — 

Farmland,  10,541  acres,  at  $100 . . . . . .  1,054,100 

Village  property,  Sylvan  Beach .  109, 000 

Swamp  land,  4,800  acres,  at  $12.50  . . . . .  60.000 


Total . . .  2,757,848 


Lock  No.  7,  Fort  Bull  section  (  station  2782+00  to  3164+00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  12,145,959  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents  .  2.429, 192 

Rock,  dry,  33,420  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents . . . .  23,394 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


4G1 


Lock  No.  7,  Fort  Bull  section,  etc. — Continued. 

Masonry  in  by-pass,  10,000  cubic  yards,  at  $4  . . .  $40, 000 

Slope  wall,  101,784  square  yards,  at  $1.10 . . .  177,962 

Back  fill,  281,840  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  . .  70, 400 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  3,806,400  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M . .  114, 192 

Hemlock,  10,191,600  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M. .  234,407 

Oak,  105,120  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M.  . . .  5, 256 

Iron,  1,165,448  pounds,  at  3  cents . . . .  34, 963 

Stone  fill,  181,536  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . .  108, 922 

Highway  c  uanges . . .  .  680 

Steam  ferry,  1  . . .  20,000 

Locks — 

No.  7 . . . . . . .  634.  733 

No.  8 . . . . . . . . .  626.933 

Lock-operating  machinery — 

Two  sets  single,  at  $100,000  . . .  200, 000 

Right  of  way — 

Farm  land,  943  acres,  at  $100 . . . . .  94, 300 


Total . . . . . . .  4,815,394 


Fort  Bull-Herkimer  section  (station  3164  +  00  to  4789  +  91.5): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  45,963,879  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . .  8, 273, 498 

Rock.  dry.  85,828  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents . .  60, 080 

Masonry  in  receivers  and  by-pass,  27,400  cubic  yards,  at  $4 _  109,  600 

Slope  wall,  790,867  square  yards,  at  $1.10  . . . . .. . .  869, 954 

Back  fill,  247,120  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . . .  61, 780 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  3.806,400  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M . . .  114, 192 

Hemlock,  10,677,600  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M_ .  245, 585 

Oak,  105,120  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M_ .  5, 256 

Iron.  1,244,488  pounds,  at  3  cents .  37, 335 

Stone,  180,016  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents.-. . . .  108,010 

Dams— 

Oriskany,  N.  Y.  (No.  3): 

Excavation,  787,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents .  141,660 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  21,835  cubic  yards,  at  $6.  131, 010 

Timber  in  grillage  foundation.  1,101,372  feet  B.  M.,  at  $22 

per  M . . .  . .  24,230 

Piles  in  foundation,  155,100  linear  feet,  at  20  cents .  31, 020 

Sheet  piling.  128,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $33  per  M . . .  4, 224 

Iron,  80,000  pounds,  at  3  cents .  2,400 

Stoney  gate  to  discharge  500  cubic  feet  per  second .  2, 000 

Frankfort,  N.  Y.  (No.  4): 

Excavation,  639,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . t .  115,020 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  21,835  cubic  yards,  at  $6.  131,010 

Timber  in  grillage  foundation,  1,101,372  feet  B.  M.,  at  $22 

per  M  . . . .  . .  24, 230 

Piles  in  foundation,  155,100  linear  feet,  at  20  cents .  31,020 

Sheet  piling,  128,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $33  per  M . .  4, 224 

Iron,  80,000  pounds,  at  3  cents . .  2, 400 

Railroad  and  highway  changes .  450, 170 

Steam  ferry,  1 . . . . .  20, 000 


462 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Fort  Bull-Herkimer  section,  etc. — Continued. 
Locks — 

No.  9  . . . . 

No.  10. . . . 

Lock-operating  machinery — 

2  sets  single,  at  $100,000 . . . . 

Bridges . . . . . 

Right  of  way — 

Farm  land,  10,335  acres  at  $100 . 


$634.  481 
634, 481 

200.000 
966, 724 


1. 033, 500 


Total 


14, 469, 094 


TOTAL  COST. 

Lake  Ontario  section . . . . . . . $1,226,701 

Oswego-Minetto section . . . .  . . . .  8.269,081 

Minetto-Fulton  section . . . . . . .  805,169 

Fulton- Brewerton  section . . . . . . . .  9,282,006 

Brewerton-Lock  No.  7  section . . . .  2, 757, 848 

Lock  No.  7-Fort  Bull  section  . . .  4, 815, 394 

Fort  Bull-Herkimer  section . . .  14, 469,  094 

Water  supply,  Appendix  No.  16 . . . . . . . . .  18.080.752 


Total . . . . .  59,706,045 


ALTERNATIVE  ROUTES  AND  PLANS. 

Minnetto  to  Oswego. — It  was  at  first  proposed  to  enter  the  river 
directly  from  the  lake  at  Oswego,  to  excavate  a  channel  as  far  as  the 
present  Oswego  dam,  and  build  there  a  dam  and  lock  which  would 
raise  the  water  surface  30.6  feet  above  low  water  in  the  lake;  to  build 
another  dam  and  lock  having  a  lift  of  30  feet  about  three-fourths  of 
a  mile  farther  up  the  river,  and  a  third  lock  near  Minetto,  having  a 
lift  of  25  feet,  which  would  raise  the  water  surface  to  331,  the  eleva¬ 
tion  of  the  crest  of  the  proposed  Minetto  dam,  which  has  already  been 
described.  The  last  lock  was  located  at  the  north  end  of  a  small  val¬ 
ley  lying  on  the  east  side  of  the  ridge  against  which  the  east  end  of 
the  proposed  Minetto  dam  abuts,  and  which  is  known  as  Seneca  Hill. 
Above  the  lock  the  canal  was  to  pass  through  the  valley  in  a  southerly 
direction  and  enter  the  river  again  14  miles  beyond  the  lock.  The 
use  of  this  valley  would  avoid  a  rather  sharp  bend  in  the  river  and 
permit  the  location  of  t-lie  lock  considerably  farther  downstream  than 
would  otherwise  be  practicable,  thus  escaping  a  large  amount  of  rock 
excavation  in  the  river  bed. 

The  locks  and  dams  were  all  so  located  as  to  be  constructed  readily 
and  have  good  rock  foundations.  The  river  banks  at  the  dam  sites 
are  composed  of  rock,  which  would  afford  secure  abutments  for  the 
dams. 

The  comparative  estimate  given  below  shows  that  the  cost  for 
excavation  alone  on  the  line  adopted  is,  fora  30-foot  channel,  $865,097 
less  than  on  the  river  line : 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


463 


Table  No.  7. — Comparative  estimate  for  excavation  for  30-foot  channels  between 

Minetto  and  Lake  Ontario. 

ADOPTED  LINE.1 


Earth  excavation,  12,080,380  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents . $2,416,076 

Submerged  rock  excavation  in  Lake  Ontario,  349,670  cubic  yards,  at  $2.  699, 340 

All  other  rock  excavation,  1,969,596  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents .  1,280,237 


Total . . . .  4,395,653 

RIVER  LINE. 

Gravel  dredging  in  Lake  Ontario,  491.000  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents _  $98,  200 

Earth  excavation  along  Oswego  River.  3,709,000  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents.  741, 800 
Submerged  rock  excavation  in  Oswego  River,  929,000  cubic  yards,  at  $2.  1, 858, 000 

Rock  excavation  along  Oswego  River,  1,991,000  cubic  yards,  at  $1.25 _  2,488,750 

Removal  of  old  cribs,  36,000  cubic  yards,  at$l . . . .  36,000 

Removal  of  old  masonry,  38,000  cubic  yards,  at$l .  38,000 


Total . . . . . . . .  5,260,750 

Co3t  of  excavation  on  adopted  line  - . .  . . .  4,395,653 

Difference  of  cost  in  favor  of  adopted  line'-1 . . . . . .  865, 097 


This  difference  in  cost  maybe  partly  explained  by  saying  that  where 
the  proposed  channel  follows  the  river  its  estimated  bottom  width  is 
400  feet  instead  of  203  feet  or  250  feet,  the  width  of  base  used  for 
earth  and  rock  respectively  in  the  regular  canal  prism,  and  also  that 
because  of  the  valuable  property  along  the  river  banks  it  is  imprac¬ 
ticable  to  build  a  dam  and  raise  the  water  surface  within  14  miles  of 
the  lake,  and  it  therefore  would  be  necessary  to  excavate  a  very  large 
volume  of  rock  under  water,  an  expensive  class  of  work,  which  is 
largely  avoided  on  the  other  line.3 

There  are,  however,  other  and  more  important  advantages  in  favor 
of  the  adopted  line,  which  will  be  briefly  mentioned. 

On  the  river  line  two  masonry  dams  would  be  needed  between  Minetto 
and  Oswego.  In  addition  to  the  expense  of  these  structures  the 
present  Minetto  dam  and  the  dam  midway  between  Oswego  and  Minetto 
would  be  submerged  and  their  water  powers  destroyed.  The  hydraulic 
canal  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  in  Oswego  would  be  intersected  by 
the  canal  and  its  water  supply  cut  off.  The  line  would  cross  two  liigh- 

1  The  figures  and  quantities  here  given  are  for  the  final  adopted  line  with  lock 
No.  4  at  Minetto. 

'2  Lock  No.  4  at  Minetto. 

3  The  discussion  of  the  comparative  cost  of  the  two  lines  was  written  by  Mr. 
Himes  before  the  location  of  lock  No.  4  was  changed  to  Minetto  and  before  the 
lock  estimates  were  completed.  The  cost  of  the  locks  and  dams  on  the  river  line 
is  estimated  at  $4,500,000.  The  cost  of  the  locks  on  the  adopted  line  is  $5,660,913, 
leaving  a  difference  of  $1,160,913  in  favor  of  the  river  line  in  the  cost  of  structures. 
This  will  offset  the  above  difference  in  cost  of  excavation  in  favor  of  the  adopted 
line,  so  that  the  costs  of  the  construction  of  the  channels  themselves  will  be  about 
the  same  on  both  lines.  The  river  line,  however,  destroys  many  very  valuable 
water  rights,  and  the  right  of  way  would  be  much  more  expensive  than  for  the 
adopted  line. 


464 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


way  bridges  and  one  railway  bridge  in  the  city,  and  the  necessary 
draws  would  be  a  source  of  danger  and  delay  to  the  shipping,  as  well 
as  to  the  street  and  railroad  traffic.  The  same  number  of  bridges 
would  be  needed  on  the  other  line,  but  the  traffic  upon  them  would  be 
much  lighter,  and  they  would  be  less  troublesome. 

But  most  important  of  all  is  the  reduction  in  lift  on  the  locks.  The 
maximum  lift  on  the  adopted  line  is  21.4  feet,  while  on  the  river  line 
it  is  30.6  feet.  The  locks  at  Fulton  would  have  lifts  of  22.5  feet,  and 
since  the  water  used  for  lockage  is  regulated  by  that  lock  below  the 
source  of  supply  which  consumes  the  most  water,  the  saving  of  water 
on  the  adopted  line  would  be  equal  to  the  difference  between  the  vol¬ 
umes  required  by  22.5-foot  and  30.6-foot  locks,  respectively.  This 
saving  would  be  considerable,  and  would  materially  lessen  any  possi¬ 
ble  chance  of  a  shortage  in  the  supply. 

With  the  above  advantages  offered  by  the  line  west  of  the  city,  it 
was  considered  unnecessary  to  go  any  further  with  the  estimates  on 
the  river  line. 

Fulton  to  Peter  Scott’s  swamp. — It  was  supposed  at  first  that  the 
line  beyond  Fulton  would  follow  the  river  to  Phoenix,  and  then  strike 
eastward  into  Peter  Scott’s  swamp  instead  of  leaving  the  river  at 
Fulton  and  running  across  country  to  the  swamp,  as  previously 
described.  The  survey  showed  the  adopted  line  to  be  1.8  miles  shorter 
than  the  line  through  Phoenix  and  it  is  estimated  to  require  about 
2,700,000  cubic  yards  less  excavation. 

The  estimate  of  the  Phoenix  line  was  made  with  less  detail  than  the 
other,  it  being  considered  unnecessary  to  make  a  very  close  compari¬ 
son  of  the  two  lines.  For  that  reason,  the  rock  excavation  on  the 
Phoenix  line  was  not  separated  from  the  earth.  The  rock  excavation 
in  the  river  at  Fulton  alone,  however,  is  greater  than  all  the  rock 
excavation  on  the  adopted  line,  and  there  is  much  more  rock  between 
Fulton  and  Phoenix. 

Such  portions  of  the  Phoenix  line  as  lie  in  the  river  were  estimated 
for  a  prism  base  of  400  feet  as  already  described  for  the  alternative 
line  at  Oswego. 

In  addition  to  the  above  differences  in  distance  and  excavation,  the 
line  through  Phoenix  would  submerge  the  upper  Fulton  dam  and  the 
Phoenix  dam,  and  the  injury  to  the  manufacturing  plants  which  use 
their  powers  would  add  a  large  item  to  the  cost.  A  new  dam  would 
be  needed  at  Fulton,  and  the  lock  at  that  place  would  require  a  lift  of 
about  30  feet.  The  disadvantage  of  such  a  high  lift  has  already  been 
stated  and  it  is  sufficient  here  to  explain  the  necessity  of  such  a  lift. 

The  crest  of  the  Phoenix  dam  has  an  elevation  of  about  361.  The 
country  above  the  dam  is  very  low  and  flat,  there  being  very  little  fall 
from  Syracuse  or  Baldwinsville  down  to  Phoenix.  The  area  of  land 
that  would  be  affected  by  raising  the  canal  water  surface  higher  than 
the  dam  is  so  great,  and  about  Syracuse  the  property  bordering  Onon- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


465 


daga  Lake  is  so  valuable,  that  the  crest  of  the  dam  was  taken  as  a 
limit  above  which  the  water  must  not  be  raised.  It  was  necessary, 
therefore,  to  raise  the  water  surface  below  Fulton  from  331  to  361,  the 
crest  of  the  Phoenix  dam.  The  cheapest  way  to  do  it  is  by  a  single 
lock;  the  way  which  would  best  economize  the  water  is  by  two  locks. 
In  either  case,  by  the  high-level  plan,  a  lock  would  be  needed  at 
Phoenix  to  rise  from  361  to  376,  so  that  if  the  two  locks  were  used  at 
Fulton  there  would  be  needed  on  the  Phoenix  line  three  locks  to  rise 
45  feet,  while  on  the  adopted  line  the  elevation  is  overcome  by  two 
locks. 

These  differences  between  the  lines  were  deemed  sufficient  ground 
for  discarding  further  estimates  on  the  Phoenix  line.  It  should  be 
stated,  however,  that  the  river  from  Phoenix  to  Oswego  was  fully 
developed  by  the  survey,  and  the  maps  will  permit  as  complete  a 
study  of  these  alternative  lines  as  of  the  line  selected. 

Peter  Scott’s  Swamp. — In  locating  a  line  through  Peter  Scott’s 
Swamp  it  was  considered  that,  should  a  more  thorough  examination 
of  it  be  made  with  a  view  to  construction,  and  any  reason  be  found 
why  it  would  be  inadvisable  to  build  a  dike  and  Hood  the  swamp  as 
already  described,  it  would  be  well  to  know  that  the  general  plan  for 
a  canal  would  not  be  impaired.  For  that  reason  an  alternative  line 
has  been  located  around  the  north  side  of  the  swamp  on  higher  and 
firmer  ground.  No  borings  were  made  on  this  line,  but  it  is  so  close 
to  the  adopted  line  that  the  information  obtained  is  sufficient  to  make 
it  very  probable  that  no  rock  excavation  would  be  necessary. 

The  following  estimate  shows  the  comparative  cost  of  the  two  lines: 

Table  No.  8. — Comparative  cost  of  lines  passing  Peter  Scott's  Swamp  Sv-foot 

channel. 


LINE  THROUGH  SWAMP. 

Earth  excavation: 

Prism,  8,020,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . .  . $1,443,  COO 

Dike,  383,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents  . . .  68, 940 

Embankment,  dike,  588,000  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . . .  147,000 

Riprap,  71,000  cubic  yards,  at  90  cents .  63,900 


Total  . . . . .  1,723,440 

LINE  NORTH  OF  SWAMP. 

Earth  excavation,  10,440,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . . .  $1, 879, 700 

Cost  of  line  through  swamp . . .  1, 723, 440 


Difference  of  cost  in  favor  of  line  through  swamp . .  155, 760 


Sand  Ridge  Crossing. — The  line  through  Sand  Ridge  is  believed  to 
be  as  cheap  as  any  that  can  be  found.  It  was  located  in  the  field  for 
the  purpose  of  making  borings,  and  having  been  thoroughly  devel¬ 
oped,  all  estimates  have  been  based  upon  it. 

If  the  canal  should  be  built  north  of  Peter  Scott’s  Swamp,  on  the 
alternative  line  just  described,  the  alignment  could  be  improved  by 

H.  Doc.  149 - 30 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


466 

crossing  the  ridge  a  little  farther  north.  A  profile  of  the  northern 
crossing  indicates  a  slightly  greater  amount  of  excavation,  but  no 
borings  were  made  upon  it  and  so  the  amount  of  rock  which  might  be 
encountered  can  not  be  estimated. 

Sod  us  route. — There  is  said  to  be  an  excellent  natural  harbor  at  Lit¬ 
tle  Sodus,  25  miles  west  of  Oswego,  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  find 
a  route  for  the  canal  which  would  make  that  port  the  northern  ter¬ 
minus.  The  country  on  the  west  side  of  the  Oswego  River,  between 
Phoenix  and  Fulton,  is  quite  high,  and  the  only  possible  opening  is 
through  Lake  Neatahwanta,  near  Fulton.  But  the  reconnoissance 
mentioned  elsewhere  showed  the  route  to  be  so  long  and  tortuous  as  to 
be  wholly  impracticable,  and  no  survey  was  made  of  it. 

Change  in  Jocks. — A  rearrangement  of  locks  on  the  proposed  line 
north  of  Minetto  is  possible,  by  which  the  total  lift  from  Lake  Ontario 
to  the  river  level,  of  85.6  feet,  could  be  made  in  three  equal  lifts,  instead 
of  four  as  proposed.  The  lift  of  each  lock  would  then  be  28.5  feet, 
instead  of  21.4  feet,  as  before,  and  the  principal  results  of  the  change 
would  be  an  increased  consumption  of  water  and  a  saving  of  time  in 
navigation  equal,  approximately,  to  that  required  to  pass  through  one 
lock.  The  difference  in  cost  would  probably  not  be  great,  though  no 
comparative  estimate  has  been  made,  because  it  has  been  considered 
throughout  that  the  plan  which  would  require  the  least  water  to  operate 
the  canal  would  be  preferable,  at  least  until  the  adequacy  of  the  water 
supply  shall  be  finally  demonstrated. 

A  similar  change  can  be  made  near  Fulton,  in  the  low-level  plan, 
to  be  described  later.  In  this  case  three  locks,  two  of  them  having 
equal  lifts  of  18  feet,  and  the  third  a  lift  varying  between  12  feet  and 
10  feet,  according  to  the  stage  of  the  Oneida  reservoir,  can  be  replaced 
by  two  locks,  the  lower  one  to  have  a  lift  of,  say,  26  feet  and  the  upper 
one  a  lift  to  vary  between  22  feet  and  20  feet.  The  effect  of  this  change 
would  be  precisely  similar  to  the  first,  and  its  feasibility  depends 
almost  wholly  upon  the  water  supply. 

CHANGES  IN  RAILROADS  AND  HIGHWAYS. 

At  Oswego,  where  the  canal  crosses  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  and  the  Rome,  Watertown  and  Ogdensburg  Rail¬ 
road,  a  slight  change  of  alignment  would  permit  both  roads  to  use  one 
double-track  drawbridge.  The  Rome,  Watertown  and  Ogdensburg 
freight  yard  would  require  some  alteration  and  the  side  track  running 
down  to  the  lake  front  should  be  moved  to  the  east  side  of  the  canal. 

The  track  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad 
would  need  to  be  raised  a  few  feet  for  a  short  distance  at  Minetto.1 

The  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western  Railway  would  require  a 
single-track  drawbridge  at  the  canal  crossing  in  the  northern  part  of 


1  This  will  not  be  necessary  with  the  change  ol'  location  of  lock  No.  4. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


467 


Fulton  and  a  change  of  alignment  between  the  bridge  and  the  station. 
Instead  of  providing  another  drawbridge  for  the  same  road  near 
Ingalls,  the  estimate  covers  the  relocation  and  construction  of  the 
road  from  Ingalls  to  the  Oswego  River,  on  the  east  side  of  the  canal. 
The  Fulton  travel  would  be  obliged  to  cross  the  highway  bridge  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  village  and  the  freight  traffic  could  enter  the  vil¬ 
lage  over  the  bridge  in  the  northern  part  of  the  village. 

The  Rome,  Watertown  and  Ogdensburg  Railroad  would  require  a 
single-track  drawbridge  where  it  crosses  the  canal  at  Brewerton. 

At  Sylvan  Beach  the  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western  and  Lehigh 
Valley  railroads  now  use  in  common  a  single-track  bridge  over  Wood 
Creek,  and  one  single-track  drawspan  over  the  canal  is  all  that  would 
be  needed  at  that  place  for  both  roads. 

Each  road  has  several  miles  of  track  that  would  need  to  be  either 
raised  and  the  embankments  protected  with  riprap  or  else  rebuilt  on 
higher  ground.  The  estimate  for  the  high-level  plan  provides  for 
raising  the  track;  for  the  low-level  plan  the  water  surface  in  the 
Oneida  reservoir  would  be  so  much  higher  that  it  is  cheaper  to  change 
the  location  and  rebuild  the  roads,  so  the  estimate  is  based  on  such  a 
change.  According  to  the  latter  plan,  an  additional  4  miles  of  New 
York,  Ontario  and  Western  Railway  track,  on  the  north  side  of 
Oneida  Lake,  would  need  to  be  raised. 

At  Rome  the  estimate  provides  for  a  single-track  drawbridge,  to 
be  used  by  the  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western  and  Rome,  Water- 
town  and  Ogdensburg  railroads,  and  for  building  a  four-track  road 
entirely  south  of  the  canal,  to  be  used  by  the  New  York  Central  and 
Hudson  River  Railroad.  At  present  the  immense  passenger  and 
freight  traffic  of  that  railroad  passes  through  Rome  and  crosses  the 
streets  at  grade.  Many  trains  make  no  stop  there,  but  go  through 
the  city  at  a  high  rate  of  speed,  which  is  a  constant  menace  to  the 
public  safety  and  a  great  expense  to  the  company.  If  all  trains  were 
run  over  the  line  proposed  the  dangerous  grade  crossings  would  be 
abolished,  a  very  sharp  curve  near  the  station  would  be  eliminated, 
and  through  trains  would  not  be  obliged  to  slow  up  in  passing  the 
city.  Rome  passengers  could  cross  the  canal  on  the  Rome,  Water- 
town  and  Ogdensburg  and  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western  trains, 
and  the  arrangement  would  be  a  great  improvement  for  both  the  pub¬ 
lic  and  the  railroads.  The  plan  would,  of  course,  meet  with  opposi¬ 
tion,  but  it  is  probably  the  most  expensive  one  that  would  be  proposed; 
so  whether  it  should  ever  be  constructed  or  not,  it  will  serve  the  pur¬ 
pose  of  making  the  present  estimate  large  enough  to  cover  any  other 
plans  that  may  be  devised. 

The  advantage  to  the  canal  which  justifies  the  plan  requiring  the 
largest  first  cost  is  the  avoidance  of  two  four-track  drawbridges 
which  would  otherwise  be  necessary,  and  the  operation  of  which  would 
be  no  less  vexatious  and  expensive  to  the  railroad  than  to  the  canal. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


468 

The  next  railroad  crossing  is  that  of  the  Black  River  branch  of  the 
New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  Railroad,  near  Utica.  It  would 
require  a  single-track  drawbridge.  The  next  and  last  crossing  is  that 
of  the  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  main  line,  4.7  miles  east 
of  Utica.  This  crossing  is  unavoidable  and  requires  a  four-track 
drawspan.1  The  angle  between  the  canal  line  and  the  railroad  is 
very  acute,  and  it  will  be  necessary  to  rebuild  the  line  far  enough  on 
each  side  of  the  canal  to  permit  the  angle  of  crossing  to  approximate 
90  degrees. 

The  above  crossings  would  be  approximately  the  same  for  21-foot 
or  30-foot  channels  on  either  the  high-level  or  low-level  plan. 

Between  Utica  and  Frankfort,  according  to  the  high-level  plan,  the 
water  surface  would  have  an  elevation  of  396,  and  several  miles  of  the 
West  Shore  Railroad  would  need  to  be  raised  a  few  feet.  With  the 
low-level  plan  the  high-water  surface  would  be  about  10  feet  lower 
and  no  change  would  be  needed. 

Of  the  highways  affected  by  the  canal,  drawbridges  have  been  esti¬ 
mated  for  those  near  cities  and  villages  which  have  considerable  travel. 
There  are  two  in  Oswego  and  one  each  at  Minetto,  Fulton,  Rome, 
Utica,  Frankfort,  Ilion,  and  Herkimer.  The  single-track  railroad 
bridges  at  Fulton,  Brewerton,  and  Sylvan  Beach  may  also  be  used  for 
highway  purposes,  since  the  railroad  traffic  upon  them  is  not  heavy. 
Table  No.  2  gives  the  location,  kind,  and  cost  of  all  bridges  on  the 
high-level  plan  for  both  the  30  and  21  foot  channels. 

In  all  other  cases  where  crossings  are  necessary  steam  ferries  have 
been  estimated  for. 

In  cases  where  two  or  more  highways  intersect  the  canal  within  a 
comparatively  short  distance  the  estimates  provide  for  the  construc¬ 
tion  of  new  roads  sufficient  to  bring  them  together  at  a  single  bridge 
or  ferry. 

RIGHT  OF  WAY. 

Besides  the  ground  required  by  the  canal  itself  a  considerable  area 
must  be  provided  for  spoil  banks,  and  in  the  Mohawk  Valley  those 
banks  should  be  as  far  as  practicable  from  the  canal,  so  as  not  to  cause 
its  slopes  to  cave  into  the  water.  About  Oneida  Lake  a  large  area  of 
land  would  be  submerged,  and  it  also  is  included  in  the  estimate. 
The  submerged  area  is  much  greater  for  the  low-level  plan  than  it  is 
for  the  high-level  plan. 

The  only  water  powers  affected  by  either  plan  are  those  at  the  lower 
Fulton  dam  and  at  the  Battle  Island  dam  on  the  Oswego  River.  These 
two  dams  would  be  completely  submerged,  and  their  values  for  power 
purposes  have  been  included  in  the  estimate. 

LOW-LEVEL  PLAN. 

The  conversion  of  Oneida  Lake  into  a  storage  reservoir  and  the 
excavation  of  a  channel  through  the  Rome  divide,  deep  enough  to 


1  Estimated  as  two  double-track  drawspans. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


469 


extend  the  canal  from  the  lake  into  the  Mohawk  Valley  without  locks 
would  create  a  summit  level  72.084  miles  in  length. 

The  level  would  begin  a  short  distance  east  of  Fulton,  and  its  eastern 
terminus  would  be  at  Frankfort.  The  surface  elevation  of  the  reser¬ 
voir  when  full  would  be  386;  when  empty  it  would  be  379,  thus 
making  a  storage  depth  of  7  feet. 

The  summit  level  at  Rome  under  the  former  plan  has  a  surface 
elevation  of  416,  which  is  30  feet  higher  than  the  reservoir  surface 
when  full,  and  this  plan  will  therefore  effect  a  saving  in  lockage  of  60 
feet  or  more,  according  to  the  stage  of  the  reservoir. 

It  will  be  observed  that,  according  to  the  low-level  plan,  the  surface 
of  Oneida  Lake  is  higher  than  under  the  high-level  plan.  No  confu¬ 
sion  will  result  from  this  fact  if  it  is  remembered  that  the  terms  are 
used  only  with  reference  to  the  summit  levels. 

The  raising  of  Oneida  Lake  will  increase  the  area  of  its  water  surface 
from  77.3  square  miles  at  its  present  normal  stage  of  371  to  148.7 
square  miles  when  the  reservoir  is  full.  The  area  to  be  flooded  includes 
the  whole  of  Sylvan  Beach,  small  portions  of  Cleveland,  Constantia, 
and  Brewerton,  about  12  square  miles  of  swamp,  and  a  considerable 
area  of  farming  land.  Several  miles  of  railroad  about  the  eastern  end 
of  the  lake  would  also  lie  submerged  and  would  need  to  be  relocated 
on  higher  ground. 

The  survey  about  the  lake  extended  generally  only  as  high  as  the 
380  contour,  and  beyond  that  the  estimates  are  based  upon  the  maps 
of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey. 

The  weir  at  the  crossing  of  the  Oneida  River  west  of  Brewerton 
would  be  located  as  before,  but  its  crest  would  be  10  feet  higher,  and 
a  bulkhead  with  sluice  gates  would  be  needed  to  permit  the  discharge 
of  water  when  needed  for  power  purposes  in  the  Oswego  River.1 

The  embankment  at  the  east  end  of  the  weir  would  be  required  to 
retain  water  about  16  feet  in  depth. 

In  passing  Peter  Scott’s  swamp  the  line  selected  runs  around  the 
swamp  on  the  north  instead  of  through  it  as  before,  because  the  water 
being  10  feet  higher  the  increased  cost  of  the  embankment  necessary 
to  raise  the  level  of  the  swamp  and  the  difficulty  of  maintaining  so 
high  an  embankment  would  remove  whatever  advantage  the  line 
through  the  swamp  may  possess  for  the  other  plan. 

There  is  also  a  slight  change  of  alignment  in  Wood  Creek  Valley. 
It  is  necessary,  as  has  been  explained  before,  that  the  high-level  line 
should  leave  the  creek  and  rise  on  higher  and  firmer  ground  so  as  to 
go  over  the  divide.  For  the  low-level  line  it  is  better  to  remain  in  the 
bottom  of  the  valle}",  both  because  the  volume  of  excavation  would  be 
less  and  because  the  material  to  be  handled  is  not  so  hard  and  could 
be  excavated  at  a  smaller  cost  per  cubic  yard.  This  change  is,  how¬ 
ever,  so  slight  that  the  curvature  and  distance  are  nearly  the  same. 

'Til's  weir  was  estimated  according  to  the  plan  adopted  by  the  Board  and 
explained  in  a  lootnote  describing  the  same  for  the  high-level  plan. 


470 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  two  locks  at  Fulton  will' have  lifts  of  18  feet  instead  of  22.5 
feet  as  before,  and  a  third  lock,  with  a  lift  ranging  from  12  feet  to 
It)  feet,  according  to  the  stage  of  the  reservoir,  is  located  near  the 
crossing  of  the  New  York,  Ontario  and  Western  Railway,  2.5  miles 
southeast  from  Fulton.  Since  the  lift  of  this  lock  will  generally  be 
less  than  that  of  the  locks  below,  and,  therefore,  require  less  water 
for  lockage,  provision  is  made  to  pass  water  around  it  to  the  lower 
locks  by  means  of  a  bulkhead  with  sluice  gates  and  a  by-pass. 

The  two  locks  between  Oneida  Lake  and  Rome  and  the  lock  at 
Oriskany  are  not  required  in  this  plan.  The  next  lock,  and  the  last 
one  in  this  division,  is  located  at  Frankfort.  Its  lift  is  10  feet  when 
the  reservoir  is  full  and  3  feet  when  it  is  empty.  The  water  surface 
below  the  lock  will  have  an  elevation  of  376,  as  before. 

'The  Frankfort  dam  in  this  case  has  a  fall  of  10  feet*  instead  of  20 
feet,  as  under  the  high-level  plan,  and  it  has  a  bulkhead  with  gates 
to  pass  water  on  to  the  locks  below  whenever  that  may  be  necessary. 

'Fhe  streams  tributary  to  the  line  of  the  canal  in  the  Mohawk  Val¬ 
ley  are  received  into  the  canal  as  before,  save  that  on  account  of  the 
greater  depth  of  the  channel  the  intake  works  are  more  extensive  and 
their  cost  is  increased. 

It  is  a  part  of  the  low-level  plan  to  store  the  water  of  Salmon  River 
and  allow  it  to  flow  down  Fish  Creek  into  Oneida  Lake,  thereby 
increasing  the  available  water  supply.  An  estimate  for  the  necessary 
reservoir  on  Salmon  River  has  been  made  in  Appendix  No.  16  and  is 
added  to  the  estimate  for  this  plan. 

The  volume  of  water  which  it  is  expected  to  receive  from  Salmon 
River  is  such  that  it  may  be  carried  down  Fish  Creek  without  any 
considerable  improvement  to  its  channel.  The  gauging  of  the  stream 
at  McConnellsville,  made  by  the  water  supply  division  in  the  spring 
of  1898,  showed  a  flood  discharge  of  4,100  cubic  feet  per  second,  while 
the  amount  which  is  expected  to  pass  through  it  from  Salmon  River 
is  only  350  cubic  feet  per  second,  and  will  be  controlled  by  gates,  so 
that  in  case  of  floods  it  may  be  shut  off  entirely. 

It  is  necessary  to  excavate  a  channel  through  the  ridge  separating 
Salmon  River  from  Fish  Creek.  This  channel  is  3.5  miles  long  and 
has  a  slope  of  0.00015.  It  is  10  feet  deep,  has  a  bottom  width  of  15 
feet  and  side  slopes  of  1  on  2.  Its  cross  section  and  slope  are  such 
that  it  will  carry  about  twice  the  proposed  discharge,  but  it  may  be 
desirable  at  times  to  increase  that  amount,  and,  moreover,  the  flow 
may  be  lessened  at  certain  seasons  by  the  growth  of  vegetation,  so 
that  a  smaller  channel  would  be  found  less  satisfactory. 

In  addition  to  the  estimate  of  the  reservoir  there  is  a  dam  across 
the  Salmon  River  at  the  entrance  to  the  proposed  feeder,  and  several 
smaller  dams  across  creeks  which  intersect  the  feeder,  for  which  esti¬ 
mates  have  been  made,  and  they  are  included  herein,  being  indicated 
in  the  tabulated  estimate  by  a  footnote. 

Table  No.  9  gives  the  lengths  of  levels  and  lifts  and  costs  of  the 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


471 


locks;  Table  No.  10  gives  the  location,  kind  and  cost  of  the  bridges 
for  both  30  and  2 1  foot  channels;  Table  No.  11  shows  ihe  alignment; 
Table  No.  12  gives  the  different  classes  of  navigation,  with  the  per¬ 
centages  of  each;  and  Tables  Nos.  13  and  14  give  the  total  estimated 
costs  of  21-foot  and  30-foot  channels,  respectively,  all  being  based  on 
the  low-level  plan. 

Table  No.  9. 


Num¬ 
ber  of 

Location  of  lock. 

Single  or 
double 

Elevation  of 
low  water. 

Lift  in  feet. 

Length 
of  level 

lock. 

lock. 

Below. 

Above. 

in  miles. 

1 . 

Oswego,  N.  Y  . 

Single.... 
Double. . . 

245.  4 

266.  8 

21.4 

Hand  3 

. .  do  . . 

266.  8 

309. 6 

42.8 

.890 

4  .  ..  . 

Minetto,  N.  Y . . 

Siugie .... 

Hut*.  6 

331.0 

21.4 

4.384 

5  . 

Fulton,  N.  Y  . 

_ do _ 

331.0 

349. 0 

18.0 

5  900 

6 . 

. do . 

. do ... 

349. 0 

367.  0 

18.0 

1.  193 

7 . 

_ do . 

_ do.... 

367.0 

379. 0 

1  la.  0-  19. o 

1.648 

8 . 

Frankfort.  N.  Y  ..  ...  _ _ 

_ do.... 

376.0 

379.0 

1  3. 0-  10. 0 

72.084 

Head  gates  lock  10  to  end  of  division 

4.529 

Total  . . 

136. 6-150. 6 

90. 628 

1  Reservoir  full. 


COST. 


Number  of  lock. 

30-foot 

channel. 

21-foot 

channel. 

Operating 
machinery, 
30  foot 
and  21  foot 
channels. 

*100. 000 

1  .  . . . . 

$1,054,942 
3,  456,9, "0 
1, 1(1.*.  991 
1,001.2  1 
1.004.381 
1,034,907 
913, 106 

*641. 108 

2  and  13 . . . . . . . . . 

2.179.291  175.001) 

4  .  . . . 

681,  426 
609, 689 
607. 149 
624, 589 
552,712 

100.000 
100,000 
100,000 
100.  OIK) 

loo.ooo 

6 . .  ... 

8  . .  .  . 

Total . . . . . 

9,575,538 

775,000 

5. 895, 964 
775,000 

775,000 

Operating  machinery . 

Total . . .  . . 

10,350,538 

6, 670, 964 

Table  No.  10 .—Bridges  for  luiv-level  plan. 


Location. 

Station. 

Kind  of  bridge. 

Number  of  tracks. 

Fixed  or  swing. 

30-foot  channel. 

21-foot  channel. 

Number  of  spans. 

Total  length. 

Estimated  cost. 

Total  length. 

Estimated  cost. 

Oswego,  N.  Y . 

15 

Highway. 

Swing  . 

1 

545.0 

$68, 240 

525. 0 

$66,  796 

Do . . 

87 

Railway  . 

O 

....do.  . 

1 

550.0 

221,429 

530. 0 

196, 161 

Near  Oswego  . . . 

110 

Highway 

...  do  . . . 

1 

545. 0 

116,534 

525.0 

98, 138 

275 

. do _ 

_ do  . .  - 

1 

235. 0 

19, 986 

195.0 

Fulton . . . 

554 

Railway 

1 

_ do  . . . 

1 

537. 5 

152, 916 

517. 5 

132,174 

Do  . 

582 

Highway. 

1 

235.0 

19, 986 

19.5.0 

16. 650 

Brewerton - 

1403 

Railway 

1 

_ do . . . 

1 

537. 5 

156, 434 

517. 5 

149, 118 

Near  Sylvan  Beach  _ 

2740 

_ do _ 

1 

_ do . . . 

1 

537.5 

156, 538 

517.5 

139,292 

Highway 

. .  do 

1 

545. 0 

93  764 

525  0 

92  320 

Do . 

3304 

Railway  . 

1 

...do . .. 

1 

537. 5 

125, 218 

517. 5 

117,054 

1 

.  do 

1 

152  800 

517  5 

130. 810 

Do 

4038 

Highway. 

_ do . . . 

1 

545. 0 

106, 950 

525. 0 

91,356 

Near  Utica _  ..  — 

4236 

Railway 

*> 

....do... 

1 

550. 0 

238. 139 

530. 0 

209,113 

Do . . . 

4242 

do  . . 

‘) 

_ do  . . 

1 

550.0 

2:  *8, 139 

530.0 

209, 113 

Frankfort  . . 

4555 

Highway. 

_ do  . . . 

1 

235.0 

19, 986 

195. 0 

16.650 

Ilion  . 

4648 

_ do _ 

.  .do... 

1 

545. 0 

103.354 

525.0 

84,086 

Herkimer . 

4747 

. do _ 

_ do ... 

1 

545. 0 

103,354 

525. 0 

84, 086 

2,093,767 

1,849,567 

472 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Table  No.  11. — Low-level  plan. 


Length  of 
tangent. 

Length  of 
curve. 

Minimum 
radius  of 
curvature. 

Degrees  of 
curvature. 

Percent¬ 
age  of 
tangent. 

Percent¬ 
age  of 
curvature. 

Miles. 

TO.  762 

Miles. 

19. 866 

Feet. 

4, 533. 4 

O  / 

705  40 

78.08 

21.92 

Table  No.  12. — Loir-level  plan. 


Miles. 

Per  cent. 

Open  water  . . . . . . . . . . 

20.928 
4. 962 
64.738 

23.09 

5.48 

71.43 

Improved  water  wavs .  . 

Canal  prism . - . . . - . . . 

90.628 

100.00 

Table  No.  13. — Oswego-Mohawk  Route,  Western  Division. 
LOW  LEVEL  PLAN— 30-FOOT  CHANNEL. 


Lake  Ontari  >  section  (station  —26  +  00  to  —9+20): 

Excavrtioa — 

Submerged  rock.  319,670  cubic  yards,  at  $2. .  $699, 340 

Breakwater,  Appendix  No.  3  .  ...  . .  1,190,317 

Crib  work — 

Pine.  2,415,600  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M . .  72,468 

Hemlock,  5,840,620  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M„ .  134,334 

Oak,  97,920  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M . 4,896 

Iron,  742.870  pounds,  at  3  cents . . .  22,286 

Stone  Mil,  102,034  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents .  61,  220 


Total . . . . .  ...  . .  2,184,861 


Oswego-Minetto  section  (station  —9+20  to  288+00: : 

Excavation — 

Earth,  dry,  11,866,321  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents .  2,373,264 

Rock,  dry,  1,969,596  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents .  1,280,237 

Retaining  wall,  143,479  cubic  yards,  at  $4  . . .  573,916 

Masonry  in  by-passes,  4,300  cubic  yards,  at  $4... .  17, 200 

Slope  wall,  68,448  s  iuare  yards,  at  $1.10  . .  . .  75,293 

Back  fill,  449,336  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents .  112,334 

Crib  work — 

Pine.  2,374,400  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M .  71,232 

Hemlock,  6,992,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M .  160, 816 

Oak,  96,920  feet  B.  M.,  at  $25  per  M . . .  2, 423 

Iron,  786,632  pounds,  at  3  cents . . .  ...  23,599 

Stone  fill,  125.856  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents .  75, 514 

Railroad  and  highway  changes .  29, 660 

Locks — 

No.  1.... .  1,054,942 

Nos.  2  and  3 . . .. . .  3,456,980 

No.  4. . 1,109,991 

Lock-operating  machinery — 

2  sets,  single,  at  $100,000 .  200, 000 

1  set,  double .  175, 000 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


473 


Oswego-Minetto  section,  etc.— Continued. 

Bridges . .  . . . .  $426,189 

Right  of  way — 

City  property,  277  acres,  at  $2,080  . . . . . .  576, 160 

Farm  laud,  729  acres,  at  $200 .  145,800 


Total _ _ _ _ _ _ _  11,940,550 


Minetto-Fulton  section  (station  28S+00  to  550+00): 

Excavation- 

Earth,  1,911,170  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents .  344,011 

Rock.  dry.  117,268  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents .  76, 224 

Slope  walls.  14.508  square  yards,  at  $1.10. . .  15, 959 

Minetto  dam  (No.  1)  — 

Excavation,  25,567  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents .  . .  5, 113 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  44,913  cubic  yards,  at  $6 .  269, 478 

Cofferdams,  estimated  cost  . .  55,000 

Highway  and  railroad  changes. .  25, 670 

Right  of  way — 

Farm  land,  1,154  acres,  at  $100. .  . . . .  115,400 

Swamp  land,  408  acres,  at  $12.50 . . .  5, 100 

Water  rights,  Battle  Island  Dam  . .  150,000 


Total .  1,061.955 


Fulton-Brewerton  section  (station  550+00  to  1410-1-00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  29,876,982  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . .  5,377,857 

Rock,  2,033.872  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents. . . .  1, 322. 017 

Masonry — 

Retaining  wall,  198,210  cubic  yards,  at  $4  . .  792,840 

By-pass,  600  cubic  yards,  at  $4  _  . . - . . .  2, 400 

Slope  wall.  513,405  square  yards,  at  $1.10  .  564,  746 

Back  fill,  723.338  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents. .  180,834 

Crib  work — 

Pine.  2.381.600  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M  . . .  71, 448 

Hemlock,  9.173,000  feet  B.  M..  at  $23  per  M  . . .  210, 979 

Oak,  77,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M .  3, 850 

Iron,  979,024  pounds,  at  3  cents . . .  29,371 

Stone  fill,  154,800  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents . .  92, 880 

Oneida  River  dam — 

Excavation,  51,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents _ _  9, 180 

Em'  ankment,  21.000  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . .  4,050 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  21,270  cubic  yards,  at  $6 .  127, 620 

Stoney  gates . .  . . . . .  46, 250 

Railroad  and  high  way  changes. . .  .  . . .  73,400 

Steam  ferries,  4,  at  $20,000 . .  80,000 

Locks — 

No.  5 . 1,001,231 

No.  6. .  1,004,381 

No.  7 . 1,034,907 

Lock-operating  machinery.  3  sets  single,  at  $100,000  . .  300. 000 

Bridges .  329, 336 


474 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Fulton- Brewerton  section,  etc.— Continued. 

Right  of  way — 

Village  property,  Fulton,  N.  Y.,  55  acres,  at  $2,600. .  $143,000 

Farm  land,  5.9 10  acres,  at  .$100 . . .  591,000 

Swamp  land,  2,446  acres,  at  $12.50 _ _ _ _  30,575 

W ater  rights . . . . . . . . . .  806. 000 


Total _ _ _ _ _ -  14,230,152 


Brewerton-Canada  Creek  section  (station  1410+00  to  2970+00): 

Excavation — 

Earth.  21,464.652  cubic  yards,  at  8  cents . . .  1, 717, 172 

Rock,  wet,  505,500  cubic  yards,  at  $2 . .  1,  Oil.  000 

Slope  wa.l,  259,231  square  yards,  at  $1.10 _ _ _ _ 285, 187 

Railroad  and  highway  changes. . . . .  264, 675 

Bridges  . . - _ _ _ _ -  156,538 

Right  i  f  way — 

Farm  land,  36,714.65  acres,  at  $100  . . . . . .  3,671.465 

Swamp  land,  4,800  acres,  at  $12.50  . . . . .  60,000 

Salmon  River  feeder — 

Earth  excavation,  1,207,300  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents. .  181,095 

Reservoir 1 . . . .' . . . . . .  1, 350, 000 

Dam  No.  53 1 . . . . . .  366, 500 

Dam  No.  55 1 . . . . . . . .  5,100 

Dam  No.  56 1 . . . .  1,000 

Dam  No.  57  C . . .  . . . . . .  .57, 000 

Dam  No.  58* . _ .  87,600 

Guard  gate,  No.  71 . . . .  14,000 


Total . . . . . .  9,228,332 


Canada  Creek-Fort  Bull  (station  2970+00  to  3165+00): 

E  cavation — 

Earth,  12,387,183  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents. . .  2,477,437 

Rock,  dry,  2,789,719  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents . .  1,952,803 

Masonry- 

Retaining  wall,  219,402  cubic  yards,  at  $4  .  877,608 

Receivers.  5.500  cubic  yards,  at  $4  . . . .  22,000 

Slope  wall,  28.713  square  yards,  at  $1.10 . . .  31, 584 

Back  fill.  512.027  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  128,007 

Highway  changes . . . . . . . . . .  600 

Steam  ferry.  1  . . . . .  20.000 

Right  of  way — 

Farm  land,  943  acres,  at  $100 . . .  94, 300 


Total . . . , .  5,604,339 


Fort  Bull-Herkimer  section  (station  3165+00  to  4789+91.5): 

Excavation — 

Station  3165  to  3280 — 

Earth,  12,861,717  cubic  yards,  at  22  cents  . .  2, 829,  578 

Rock,  102,500  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents  .  71,750 

Station  3280  to  3420- 

Earth,  9,245,002  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents .  1, 664. 100 

Rock,  3,902,848  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents..  . .  2,  731, 994 


'From  estimate  for  water  supply,  high  level.  Appendix  No.  16. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


475 


Fort  Bull-Herkimer  section,  etc.— Continued. 

Excavation — Continued. 

Station  8420  to  3500 — 

Earth.  16,044,368  cubic  yards,  at  22  cents . . $3,661,761 

Rock,  133,235  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents . _ .  93,265 

Station  3590  to  3780 — 

Earth,  9,021,975  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents _ _ _ _  1,623,956 

Rock.  4,465,075  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents .  3, 125, 553 

Station  3780  to  3980 — 

Earth,  15.008,168  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . .  2,701,470 

Rock,  121,002  cubic  yards,  at70  cents . .  84,  701 

Station  3980  to  4180 — 

Earth,  12,390,681  cubic  yards,  at  22  cents  . . .  2, 725, 950 

Station  4180  to  4533 — 

Earth,  18,295,204  cubic  yards,  at  22  cents _ _ _  4,024,945 

Station  4533  to  4789+91.5 — 

Earth,  11,123,827  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . .  2,002,289 

Rock,  117,023  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents .  . . .  81.916 

Excavation  for  receivers  not  in  above,  520,300  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents  93. 654 
Excavation  for  drainage  channels — 

Earth,  6,568,000  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents . . . .  985,  200 

Retaining  wall,  341,268  cubic  yards,  at  $4  . . . . .  1,365,072 

Masonry  for  receivers  and  by-passes,  41,100  cubic  yards,  at  $4 _  164,400 

S.ope  wall,  991,540  square  yards,  at  $1,10. . .  . . .  1, 090,  694 

Back  fill,  862,371  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  . . . . . .  215,593 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  1,431,600  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M  . .  42,  948 

Hemlock.  4,553,340  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M .  104,  734 

Oak,  75,840  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M. . 3,  792 

Iron.  523,344  pounds,  at  3  cents. . . . 15.  700 

Stone  fill,  79,126  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents  . . 47,476 

Frankfort  dam — 

Excavation,  90,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . .  16, 200 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  2,650  cubic  yards,  at  $6 .  15, 900 

Gates . . .  .  6, 000 

Railroad  and  highway  changes . . . . .  412,320 

Steam  ferry,  1  .  . . .  .  20,000 

Lock,  No.  8 . . . .  . . . . .  913,106 

Lock-operating  machinery — 

1  set,  single . . . .  100.000 

Bridges. . . . . . . . .  1,181.704 

Right  of  way — 

10,335  acres,  at  $100 . . . . .  1, 033, 500 


Total . . . . . . . .  35,251,221 

TOTAL  COST, 

Lake  Ontario  section  .  . . .  $2,  J84. 861 

Oswego-Minetto  section . . . .  11, 940, 550 

M  netto-Fulton  section  . . . . . .  1,061,955 

Fulton-Brewefton  section  . . . . .  14, 230, 152 

Brewerton-Canada  Creek  section . . . .  9, 228, 332 

Canada  Creek-Fort  Bull  section  . . . . . .  5,604,339 

Fort  Eu  l- Herkimer  section  .  .  35,251,221 


Total . . . .  79,501,410 


476 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Table  No.  14. — Oswego-Mohciwk  route,  western  division. 

LOW-LEVEL  PLAN,  21-FOOT  CHANNEL. 

Lake  Ontario  section  (station  —20+00  to  —9+20): 

Excavation — 

Submerged  rock,  152,361  cubic  yards,  at  $2  . . . .  $304,722 

Breakwater,  Appendix  No.  3. . . . . .  721,380 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  2,416,000  feet  B.  M. ,  at  $30  per  M . . .  72, 480 

Hemlock,  3,096.800  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M . . .  71, 226 

Oak.  83,600  feet  B.  M..  at  $50  per  M . . . . .  4, 180 

Iron.  490,585  pounds,  at  3  cents  . . . .  14, 718 

Stone  fill,  63,325  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents .  37,995 


Total . . . .  1,226,701 


Oswego-Minetto  section  (station  —9+20  to  288+00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  dry,  9,300,777  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents. .  1,860, 155 

Rock,  dry,  843,884  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents  . . .  548,  525 

Retaining  wall,  97,906  cubic  yards,  at  $4... .  391, 624 

Masonry  in  by-passes,  4,300  cubic  yards,  at  $4 .  17,  200 

Slope  wall,  88,288  square  yards,  at  $1.10 . . .  97, 117 

Back  fill,  348,900  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  . . . .  87,225 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  2,374,400  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M . .  71, 232 

Hemlock,  4,894,400  feet  B.  M..  at  $23  per  M _ _ _ _  112, 571 

Oak,  53,760  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M . . . .  2,  688 

Iron,  593,600  pounds,  at  3  cents  . . . . . . .  17,808 

Stone  fill.  94,576  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents  . .  56. 746 

Railroad  and  highway  changes . •. .  29, 660 

Locks — 

No.  1.... . 641,108 

Nos.  2  and  3.. . . . . . .  2,179,291 

No.  4.. . . . . . . . . . .  681,426 

Lock-operating  machinery — 

2  sets  single,  at  $100,000 . . . .  200. 000 

1  set  double  . .  175, 000 

Bridges  .  377, 745 

Right  of  way— 

City  property,  277  acres,  at  $2,080  .  576, 160 

Farm  land,  729  acres,  at  $200 . .  145, 800 


Total... . .  8,269,081 


Minetto-Fulton  section  (station  288+00  to  550+00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  914,740  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents .  164,653 

Slope  wall,  13,414  square  yards,  at  $1.10_ .  14,755 

Minetto  dam — 

Excavation,  25,567  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents .  .  5, 113 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  44,913  cubic  yards,  at  $6 .  269.  478 

Cofferdams  _  ..  . . .  55, 000 

Railroad  and  highway  changes .  25,670 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


477 


Minetto-Fulton  section,  etc. — Continued. 

Right  of  way — 

Water  rights,  Battle  Island  dam . . . .  $150,000 

Farm  land,  1,154  acres,  at  $100 . . . .  115,400 

Swamp  land,  408  acres,  at  $12.50 . . .  5, 100 


Total _ _ _ _ _ _ _  ..  805,169 


Fulton-Brewerton  section  (station  550+00  t,o  1410+00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  22,243,558  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents- . . .  4,  003,840 

Rock,  905,227  cubic  yards,  at  65  cents  . . . .  588,398 

Masonry — 

Retaining  wall,  128,268  cubic  yards,  at  $4 . .  513,072 

By-pass,  600  cubic  yards,  at  $4 . . . „ .  2, 400 

Slope  wall,  530,906  square  yards,  at  $1.10 . . . . .  583,997 

Back  fill,  465,160  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . .  116, 290 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  2,222,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M . .  66, 660 

Hemlock,  3,794,260  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M . .. . ..  87, 268 

Oak,  85,800  feet  B.  M. ,  at  $50  per  M . . __ .  4, 290 

Iron,  918,168  pounds,  at  3  cents  . . .  27, 545 

Stone  fill,  230,243  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents  . . . . .  138, 146 

One- da  River  dam — 

Excavation,  51,000  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . . .  9, 180 

Embankment,  27,000  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents  _ _  4,050 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  21,270  cubic  yards,  at  $6 .  127, 620 

Stoney  gates . . . . . .  46, 250 

Railroad  and  highway  changes . . . . . . .  73,400 

Steam  ferries,  4,  at  $20,000 . . . _ .  80, 000 

Locks — 

No.  5 . . . . .  609,689 

No.  6 . . . . . . . . .  607.149 

No.  7 . . .  624,589 

Lock  operating  machinery — 

Three  sets,  single,  at  $100,000  . .  300, 000 

Bridges  .  _ . . . . . . .  297,942 

Right  of  way — 

Village  property,  Fulton.  N.  Y.,  55  acres,  at  $2,600 .  143, 000 

Farm  property,  5,910  acres,  at  $100. . .  591, 000 

Swamp  land,  2,446  acres,  at  $12.50... . .  30, 575 

Water  rights,  Fulton,  N.  Y . .  806,000 


Total . .  10,482,350 


Brewerton-Canada  Creek  section  (station  1410+00  to  2970+00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  14,079,204  cubic  yards,  at  8  cents . . . .  1,126,336 

Rock,  wet,  30,646  cubic  yards,  at  $2 .  61, 292 

Slope  wall,  259,261  square  yards,  at  $1.10. . . .  285, 187 

Railroad  and  highway  changes . .. . . .  264, 675 

Bridges.  .  . . . . . .  139,292 

Right  of  way — 

Farm  land.  36,714.65  acres,  at  $100 . .  3,  671,465 

Swamp  land,  4,800  acres,  at  $12.50 .  60. 000 


478 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Salmon  River  feeder: 

Earth  excavation.  1,207,300  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  $181,095 

Reservoir' . . . .. . . . . .  1,350,000 

Dam  No.  53 1 . . . _ . . . . .  366,500 

Dam  No.  551.... . . . _ . . .  5,100 

Dam  No.  561 . . . . . .  1,000 

DamNo.571 . . . . . ..  57,000 

Dam  No.  581.. . . . .. . , . -  .  87,600 

Guard  gate  No.  71 . . . . . . .  14, 000 


Total...  . . . . .  7,670,542 


Canada  Creek-Fort  Bull  section  (station  2970  +  00  to  3165+00): 

Excavation — 

Earth,  11,773.284  cubic  yards,  at  20  cents. . . .  2,354,657 

Rock,  1,364,600  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents .  955,220 

Masonry — 

Retaining  wall,  96,670  cubic  yards,  at  $4 . .  386, 680 

By-pass,  5,50.)  cubic  yards,  at  $4.  . . . . .  22, 0.JO 

Slope  wall,  73,683  square  yards,  at  $1.10 _ _  81,051 

Back  fill,  193,550  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents . . . . .  48,  388 

Highway  changes . . . . . . .  600 

Steam  ferry,  1 .  _ . .  20, 000 

Right  of  way — 

Farm  land,  943  acres,  at  $100 . . . . . .  94, 300 


Total... . . . . . .  3.962,896 


Fort  Bull-Herkimer  section  (station  3165+00  to  4789+91.5): 

Excavation — 

Station  3165  to  3280 — 

Earth,  11,421,882  cubic  yards,  at  22  cents .  2, 512, 814 

Rock,  41,015  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents. . . . ,. . .  28,  710 

Station  3280  to  3420- 

Earth,  9,005,048  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . . . .  1,620,909 

Rock,  2,587,541  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents... . .  1,811,279 

Station  3420  to  3590 — 

Faith,  14,530,927  cubic  yards,  at  22  cents . .  3,196,804 

Stat  on  3590  to  3780 — 

Earth,  8,528.606  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents .  1, 535, 149 

Rock,  2,773,258  cubic  yards,  at  70  vents . .  1,941,281 

Station  3780  to  3980 — 

Earth,  12,649,373  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . . .  2,276,887 

Rock.  121,002  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents . .  84,701 

Station  3980  to  4180 — 

Earth,  10,285,965  cubic  yards,  at  22  cents. _ _ _  2,262,912 

Station  4180  to  4533 — 

Earth,  14,605,749  cubic  yards,  at  22  cents . .  3,213,265 

Station  4533  to  4789+91.5 — 

Earth,  8,600,133  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . . .  1,548,024 

Rock,  25,190  cubic  yards,  at  70  cents . . •. .  17, 633 

Excavation  for  receivers  not  in  above — 

Earth,  524,046  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents . . .  94,328 


1  From  estimate  for  water  supply,  high  level,  Appendix  No.  16. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


479 


Fort  Bull-Herkimer  section,  etc. — Continued. 

Excavation  for  draining  channels — 

Earth,  6.568,000  cubic  yards,  at  15  cents .  $985,  200 

Retaining  wall,  200,096  cubic  yards,  at  $4.  . .  800, 384 

Masonry  for  receivers,  etc.,  41,100  cubic  yards,  at  $4 .  164, 400 

Slope  wall,  1,020,253  square  yards,  at  $1.10  . _ . . .  1, 122,278 

Back  fill,  484,170  cubic  yards,  at  25  cents  . .  121,043 

Crib  work — 

Pine,  1,770,000  feet  B.  M.,  at  $30  per  M. .. .  53, 100 

Hemlock.  6,328,300  feet  B.  M.,  at  $23  per  M  .  145,  551 

Oak,  88,920  feet  B.  M.,  at  $50  per  M_ .  4, 446 

Iron,  714.144  pounds,  at  3  cents .  21,  424 

Stone  till,  101,872  cubic  yards,  at  60  cents. _ _  61. 123 

Frankfort  dam — 

Ex  avation,  90,00  )  cubic  yards,  at  18  cents  ...  _  16,200 

Masonry  in  dam  and  abutments,  2,650  cubic  yards,  at  $6 _  15,  900 

Oates.  ..  .  .  . .  6,000 

Railroad  and  highway  changes . . . .  412, 320 

Steam  ferry,  1  . .  .  20,000 

Lo/kNo.  8 . . . .  . .  552,712 

Lock-operating  machinery — 

1  set  single . . . . . . .  100.000 

Bridges  . . . . . . .  1,034,588 

Right  of  way — 

Farm  land,  10,335  acres,  at  $100  . .  1.033,  500 


Total . i . . . . . . .  28,814,865 

TOTAL  COST. 

Lake  Ontario  section . . . . . . . . $1,226,701 

Oswego-Minetto  section . . . . . .  8, 269, 081 

Minetto-Fulton  section  . . . . . . . . . .  805, 169 

Fulton-Brewerton  section . . . _ .  10, 482, 350 

Brewerton-Canada  Creek  section . . .  7, 670. 542 

Canada  Creek-Fort  Bull  section  . . . . .  3,962,896 

Fort  Bull-Herkimer  section . . _ . .  28, 814, 865 


Total. . . . .  .  61,231,604 

WATER  SUPPLY — LOW-LEVEL  PLAN. 

For  the  purpose  of  this  discussion  the  period  front  April  to  Novem¬ 
ber,  inclusive,  is  called  the  navigation  period,  and  that  from  Decem¬ 
ber  to  May,  inclusive,  the  storage  period.  It  will  be  observed  that 
the  first  two  months  of  the  navigation  period  are  the  last  two  months 
of  the  storage  period. 

The  amount  of  water  required  for  the  summit  level  may  be  divided 
into  two  parts — that  lost  by  evaporation  and  that  consumed  by  lock¬ 
age.  To  determine  the  amount  of  water  which  may  be  lost  by  evap¬ 
oration,  reference  is  made  to  the  measurements  of  evaporation  at  the 
Rochester  waterworks,  given  in  Table  No.  15,  and  to  the  record  of  pre¬ 
cipitation  during  the  navigation  period  for  those  portions  of  the  Oneida 
and  Mohawk  watersheds  which  will  drain  into  the  proposed  summit 
level,  given  in  Table  No.  16. 


480 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Table  No.  15. — Showing  evaporation  during  navigation  periods  at  Rochester , 

N.  Y. ,  1802  to  1896,  inclusive. 1 

Inches. 


1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 


30.86 

30.02 

29.27 

34.38 


1896 


32.23 


Table  No.  16. — Record  of  precipitation  during  naviga  tion  periods  on  portions  of 
Oneida  and  Mohawk  watersheds  tributary  to  proposed  summit  level,  1S26-1S98, 
inclusive r 

[Depths  given  in  inches.] 


1826. 

1827. 

1828. 

1829. 

1830. 

1831. 

1832. 

1833. 

1834. 

1835. 

Pomney . . 

Utica . . 

20.81 

27.  75 
36.  70 

28.94 
30. 88 

23.90. 
24. 97 

26.  75 
34. 28 
31.00 

26.33 

29.75 

22. 40 
34. 21 
27.94 

28. 59 
28.94 
30.24 

26.85 

25.89 

17.72 

24.26 
30. 42 
26. 61 
18.24 

Average _ 

20. 81 

32.23 

29. 91 

24.44 

30.68 

28. 04 

28.18 

29.26 

23.49 

24.88 

1836. 

1837. 

1838. 

1839. 

1840. 

1841. 

1842. 

1843. 

1844. 

1845. 

Pompey . . 

Utica . . . 

Cazenovia . . 

14.63 
19. 37 

22.26 

25.  71 

30. 35 
17. 53 

20. 97 

35. 54 
21.01 

20.  72 

24.  92 

25.  43 
20. 26 

25. 60 
29.44 
33. 46 
41.20 

19. 16 
29.94 
21.23 

23.53 
41.34 
32. 16 

24. 52 
33.  95 
34.20 

23.02 

29.62 

28.65 

26.90 

Average . 

18.75 

24. 53 

25.84 

22.83 

32. 43 

23.44 

32.34 

30.89 

26.32 

27.78 

1846. 

1847. 

1848. 

1849. 

1850. 

1851. 

1852. 

1853. 

1854. 

1855. 

40.59 

28.38 

31.59 

29.44 

31.39 

28.73 

23.13 

23.63 

Utica 

28.08 

29.71 

25  22 

28.53 

29.51 

30. 07 

33.20 

31. 83 

30.38 
24.  30 

38.07 

24.80 

Palermo . . 

Average _ 

28  90 

25.22 

28.53 

29.51 

40.59 

29.23 

31. 41 

30.65 

25.94 

28.83 

1856. 

1857. 

1858. 

1859. 

1860. 

1861. 

1862. 

1863. 

1864. 

1865. 

28. 69 
21. 19 
32.00 

28.57 
25. 21 
33.  40 

Clinton . . 

Palermo . . 

23. 00 
25.90 

48.90 

30.30 

32. 29 
28. 10 

35.  64 
33.90 

37.  05 
31.40 

32.20 

27. 12 
33.80 
33.51 

32.05 

Oneida 

48.26 

Average . 

24.45 

39.60 

30.20 

34.  77 

34.23 

32. 48 

27.29 

29.06 

31.48 

40. 16 

1866. 

1867. 

1868. 

1869. 

1870. 

1871. 

1872. 

1873. 

1874.  !  1875. 

1876. 

Palermo . 

31.81 

19. 90 

22. 05 

25.  60 

15.25 

17.70 

23. 60 

23.73 

28.40  |  20.40 

22.  70 

South  Trenton  . . . 

38. 47 

36. 54 

39.  78 

48.  73 

35. 20 

34. 60 

31.67 

32. 64 

29.56  1  38.87 

33. 67 

Oneida 

48.  92 

51.26 

41.47 

52.60  . 

35. 33 

I 

Average  .... 

39.  73 

35. 90 

39.69 

43. 45 

32.43 

31.26 

27.64 

28. 19 

36. 85  29. 64 

30. 57 

1  From  Report  New  York  State  Engineer  and  Surveyor,  1896. 
3  From  data  furnished  by  the  water-supply  division. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


481 


Table  No.  16. — Record  of  precipitation  during  navigation  periods  on  portions  of 
Oneida  and  Mohawk  watersheds,  etc. — Continued. 


1877. 

1878. 

1879. 

1880. 

1881. 

1882. 

1883. 

1884. 

1885. 

1886. 

1887. 

TTt,u*a.  _ 

25.67 

26.02 

28.32 

23.37 

38.07 

34.75 

23.07 

Palermo . 

Oneida  . . 

21.35 

34.65 

28.60 

18. 10 

23.37 

15. 71 

13.79 

22. 90 

13.78 

22.65 

20.63 

17.33 

Average _ 

28.00 

28.60 

18. 10 

23.37 

20.69 

19. 91 

25.61 

18.58 

30. 36 

27.69 

20.20 

1888. 

1889. 

1890. 

1891. 

1892. 

1893.  1894. 

1 

1895. 

1896. 

1897. 

1898. 

Utica  .. 

30.96 

33. 27 

44. 85 

21. 17 

39. 97 

Palermo  . . 

22. 20 

25.29 

30. 67 

18. 13 

34.95 

25. 00  26.  74 

18.81 

20. 41 

23.03 

24. 05 

Rome _ _ 

48.36 

34. 11 

30.  07  30.  29 

22. 89 

25.  lo 

28  91 

38.47 

Phoenix. . 

30.59  27.82 

18.68 

22.  53 

28.00 

30.23 

Average  .... 

26.58 

29.28 

41.29 

19. 65 

36. 34 

28.55  28.28 

20. 13 

22.68 

26. 65 

30.92 

The  maximum  evaporation  recorded  during  the  navigation  periods 
for  the  years  1892  to  1-896,  inclusive,  occurred  in  1895,  and  amounted 
to  34.38  inches.  This  was  an  excessively  dry  year  throughout  the 
lake  region,  and  the  evaporation  is  not  likely  to  be  exceeded. 

The  year  of  least  precipitation  during  the  navigation  period,  shown 
in  Table  No.  16,  is  1879,  and  the  amount  for  that  year  is  18.1  inches. 
Subtracting  this  minimum  precipitation  from  the  maximum  evapora¬ 
tion  gives  16.28  inches  for  the  maximum  depth  of  water  that  will  be 
taken  from  the  surface  of  the  reservoir  during  any  navigation  season 
by  evaporation. 

The  area  of  the  surface  of  the  reservoir  when  full  is  148.7  square 
miles.  This  area  reduced  to  square  feet  and  multiplied  by  the  depth 
of  evaporation  in  feet  gives  5,624,086,000  cubic  feet,  the  volume  of 
water  required  for  evaporation. 

It  is  assumed,  by  the  direction  of  your  Board,  that  a  flow  of  1,500 
cubic  feet  per  second  throughout  the  navigation  period  will  afford  an 
abundant  supply  for  lockage,  and  that  of  this  amount  350  cubic  feet 
per  second  can  be  supplied  from  the  Salmon  River  reservoir.  .V  flow 
of  1,150  cubic  feet  per  second  remains  to  be  provided.  This  flow 
continued  throughout  the  navigation  period,  two  hundred  and  forty- 
four  days,  amounts  to  24,243,840,000  cubic  feet,  and  when  added  to 
the  volume  required  for  evaporation  makes  a  total  of  29,867,926,000 
cubic  feet  which  must  be  obtained  from  the  area  naturally  tributary 
to  the  summit  level. 

It  is  desirable  that  a  quantity  of  water  sufficient  for  canal  purposes 
shall  be  supplied,  in  addition  to  that  now  in  use  for  water  powers. 
In  the  event  of  the  construction  of  the  canal,  it  would  be  necessary, 
in  order  to  accomplish  this  purpose,  hat  the  amount  of  water  now 
used  for  power  be  carefully  measured  and  provision  made  for  the 
continual  flow  of  that  amount  both  at  Little  Falls  and  in  the  Oswego 
River.  If  we  except  the  three  summer  months,  there  is  generally  a 
H.  Doc.  149 - 31 


482 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


large  volume  of  water  wasted  over  the  dams  on  both  the  Oswego  and 
Mohawk  rivers,  and  it  is  here  assumed  that  the  Seneca  River  alone 
will  furnish  water  for  power  purposes  on  the  Oswego  during  the  stor¬ 
age  period,  and  that  West  Canada  (  reek  alone  will  furnish  water  for 
powers  at  Little  Falls  during  that  period.  The  portion  of  the  Oswego 
watershed  not  made  tributary  to  the  summit  level  has  an  area  of 
about  3,654  square  miles,  and  the  portion  of  the  Mohawk  watershed 
above  Little  Falls  not  made  tributary  to  the  summit  level,  and  which 
includes  West  Canada  Creek,  has  an  area  of  646  square  miles. 

The  natural  flow  from  the  area  that  would  drain  into  the  summit 
level  for  the  months  not  included  in  the  storage  period  is  not  consid¬ 
ered  a  part  of  the  supply  available  for  canal  purposes  and  may  be 
used  for  water  powers  as  at  present. 

While  it  is  impossible  without  further  data  to  say  that  by  this 
arrangement  the  various  water  powers  will  continue  to  receive  this 
present  supply  of  water,  it  seems  reasonable  to  expect  that  they  will, 
and  such  is  assumed  to  be  the  case  in  this  discussion. 

The  portion  of  the  Oneida  watershed  to  be  made  tributary  to  the 
summit  level  has  an  area  of  1,348  square  miles,  the  portion  of  the 
Mohawk  watershed  to  be  made  tributary  to  the  summit  level  has  an 
area  of  660  square  miles,  and  the  sum  of  these  areas,  2,008  square 
miles,  is  the  total  from  which  the  volume  20,867,926,000  cubic  feet 
must  be  obtained  during  the  storage  period. 

It  is  assumed  that  during  the  above  period  60  per  cent  of  the  pre¬ 
cipitation  will  find  its  way  into  the  reservoir.  This  assumption  was 
made  after  a  study  of  Table  No.  17,  in  which  the  precipitation  and 
run-off  statistics  of  several  streams  whose  records  were  available  have 
been  arranged  to  show  the  percentage  of  precipitation  which  appears 
in  the  discharge  of  the  streams  during  the  storage  period  of  years  of 
average  and  minimum  precipitation. 

Table  No.  17. — Rainfall  and  run-off  data  for  storage  period. 


Stream. 

Period  of 
observa¬ 
tion. 

Area 

of 

water¬ 
shed  in 
square 
miles. 

For  mean  precipitation  dur¬ 
ing  observation  period. 

For  year  of 
minimum 
precipitation. 

Per¬ 
cent¬ 
age  of 
precip¬ 
itation. 

Precip¬ 

itation 

in 

inches. 

Run¬ 

off- 

in 

inches. 

Per¬ 
cent¬ 
age  of 
precip¬ 
itation. 

Year. 

Precip¬ 

itation 

in 

inches. 

Run¬ 

off 

in 

inches. 

Muskingum . 

1888-1895 

5,828.0 

18.82 

9.57 

50.85 

1895 

13.04 

4.04 

30.98 

Upper  Genesee . 

1894-1896 

1, 070.0 

19.58 

10.20 

52. 09 

1895 

13.20 

5. 63 

42.65 

Upper  Hudson . 

1891-1896 

4,500.0 

120.80 

15.95 

76.68 

1895 

2 15. 79 

11.68 

73.97 

Croton  . 

1870-1896 

338.0 

23.44 

18. 00 

76.79 

1872 

14.57 

11.59 

2  79. 55 

Passaic . 

1888-1893 

822.0 

25.49 

21. 03 

82.  50 

1892 

22.26 

14.44 

64. 87 

Sudbury . 

1875-1895 

75. 0 

23.28 

17.58 

75.52 

1883 

16.  78 

9.70 

57.81 

Mystic . . 

1878-1895 

26.9 

22.41 

15.08 

67.29 

1883 

16.24 

7.41 

45. 63 

Cochituate . 

1863-1895 

18.9 

23.08 

14. 89 

64.51 

1872 

14. 51 

8.88 

61.20 

Note.— This  table  was  computed  from  data  collected  by  G.  W.  Rafter  and  published  in  the 
Reports  of  the  New  York  State  Engineer  for  1895  and  1896  and  in  Water  Supply  and  Irrigation 
Papers  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey,  No.  24. 

1  Precipitation  on  “northern  plateau.” 

2  A  percentage  of  run-off  greater  than  the  average  in  a  year  of  minimum  precipitation  seems 
very  improbable  and  is  probably  due  to  an  error. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


483 


The  year  of  minimum  precipitation  on  the  Upper  Hudson  is  1895. 
In  that  year  the  percentage  of  precipitation  which  appeared  in  the 
run-off  at  Mechanicville  is  73.97.  The  conditions  affecting  precipita¬ 
tion  and  run-off  which  prevail  upon  the  watersheds  of  the  Oneida  and 
Upper  Mohawk  rivers  probably  resemble  those  of  the  Hudson  more 
closely  than  the  conditions  which  prevail  upon  any  of  the  other 
streams.  Geographically  the  summit  level  is  nearer  to  the  Hudson 
than  to  any  other  stream  of  which  the  records  are  available,  and  the 
climatic  conditions  of  the  two  localities  are  similar.  The  streams 
draining  into  the  summit  level  have  channels  which  are  generally 
stony  and  precipitous,  though  perhaps  they  are  not  so  torrential  in 
character  as  the  tributaries  of  the  Hudson.  The  Hudson  River  record 
of  run-off  has  been  kept  under  favorable  conditions  and  should  be 
quite  reliable,  and  it  includes  the  year  1895,  which  is  noted  for  its 
general  dryness. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  precipitation  record  used  in  computing  the 
percentage  of  run-off  for  the  Hudson  is  the  record  of  the  “northern 
plateau,”  an  area  which  includes  observation  stations  north  and  west 
of  the  Upper  Hudson  basin  and  only  one  or  two  stations  within  that 
basin.  Much  of  the  Hudson  basin  lies  in  the  heart  of  the  Adiron- 
dacks,  where  no  observations  of  precipitation  have  been  made,  and 
the  record  of  the  “northern  plateau”  has  been  used  as  affording  the 
nearest  approximation  to  the  precipitation  of  the  Hudson.  It  may 
therefore  be  surmised  that  since  in  1895,  the  year  of  minimum  pre¬ 
cipitation,  the  percentage  of  run-off  of  the  Hudson  was  so  great,  it 
being  73.97,  the  actual  precipitation  on  the  Hudson  was  probably 
greater  than  that  of  the  “northern  plateau.”  If  such  is  the  case,  the 
effect  would  be  to  reduce  the  percentage  of  run-off,  and  this  proba¬ 
bility  was  considered  in  deciding  upon  the  percentage  to  be  used  in 
calculating  the  run-off  from  the  Oneida-Mohawk  watershed. 

If  60  per  cent  of  the  precipitation  during  the  storage  period  is  to 
afford  a  volume  of  29,867,926,000  cubic  feet  of  water,  then  the  total 
volume  of  precipitation,  or  100  per  cent,  must  be  49,779,877,000  cubic 
feet,  which  is  equal  to  a  depth  of  10.67  inches  over  2,008  square  miles. 

This  depth  exceeds  the  recorded  precipitation  during  the  storage 
period  in  but  two  3rears  out  of  the  seventy- three  years’  record  (this 
record  is  given  in  full  in  Appendix  No.  16.  The  observation  stations 
considered  are  the  same  as  those  in  Table  No.  16),  once  in  1829,  when 
the  precipitation  was  9.34  inches,  and  once  in  1837,  when  it  was  8.95 
inches.  The  average  precipitation  during  the  storage  periods  for  the 
seventy-three  years  was  19  inches,  or  78  per  cent  more  than  the  amount 
required. 

The  record  of  precipitation  is  not  wholly  satisfactory.  In  several 
years  we  have  the  record  for  but  a  single  station.  The  record  at  Oneida 
of  a  mean  annual  precipitation  of  64.83  inches  is  abnormally  large, 
and  the  difference  between  the  records  of  Utica  and  Whitesboro  sug- 


484 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


gests  a  difference  in  methods  of  measurement.  The  latter  places  are 
on  the  south  side  of  the  Mohawk  Valley,  not  over  3  miles  apart, 
and  the  mean  annual  precipitation  for  five  years — 1834,  1835,  1836, 
1839,  and  1840 — at  Utica  is  36.98  inches,  while  for  the  same  years  at 
Whitesboro  it  is  31.83  inches.  Such  a  discrepancy  is  unaccountable. 

In  this  discussion  evaporation  from  water  surfaces  during  the 
months  December  to  March,  inclusive,  has  been  neglected,  and  also 
the  fact  that  the  area  of  the  proposed  reservoir  is  about  7  per  cent  of 
the  watershed,  and  upon  its  surface  the  precipitation  will  fall  directly. 
These  factors  will,  in  a  measure,  balance  each  other,  the  net  result 
being  too  small  for  consideration  in  a  problem  involving  the  use  of 
such  rough  data.  For  the  same  reason  no  account  has  been  made 
of  the  present  Erie  Canal  reservoirs  and  feeders,  which,  though  small, 
will  nevertheless  assist  a  little  to  increase  the  water  supply. 

We  have  next  to  inquire  concerning  the  capacity  of  the  reservoir. 

Since  April  and  May  are,  by  reason  of  the  large  run-off  of  water 
during  those  months,  made  a  part  of  the  storage  period,  it  would  seem 
unnecessary  for  the  storage  supply  to  be  greater  than  is  needed  for 
the  months  of  June  to  November,  inclusive.  The  consumption  of 
water  for  the  months  of  April  and  May  will  be,  in  a  year  of  maximum 


evaporation,  as  per  Rochester  data : 

Cubic  feet. 

Lockage . .  ..  . .  6, 060. 960,  000 

Evaporation,  8.44  inches  on  148.7  square  miles .  2,915.681.000 

Total . . . . . .  ...  8,976,641,000 


This  volume  is  equivalent  to  a  run  off  of  1.86  inches  on  2.008  square 
miles,  or  a  precipitation  of  1.92  divided  by  0.6  =  3. 2  inches. 


Table  No.  18. — Precipitation  on  Oneida  and  Upper  Mohawk  watersheds  during  the 
months  of  April  and  May  for  the  t  (reive  years  of  the  record,  showing  the  least  pre¬ 
cipitation  for  those  months: 


1879. 
1891. 
1873. 
1828. 
1881 . 
1847. 


Inches. 
.  2.05 
.  3.02 
3.08 
.  3.17 
.  3.32 
..  3.33 


1872. 

1896. 

1877. 

1887. 

1884. 

1837. 


Inches. 
.  3.62 
.  3.65 
.  3.80 
.  3.88 
.  4.11 
.  4.14 


Table  No.  18  gives  the  recorded  precipitation  in  April  and  Maj"  for 
the  twelve  years  of  the  record  showing  the  least  precipitation  during 
those  months.  The  necessary  quantity,  3.2  inches,  was  lacking  in  but 
four  years— 1879,  1891,  1873,  and  1828.  In  those  years  the  precipi¬ 
tations  during  the  months  of  April  and  May  were  respectively  2.05 
inches,  3.02  inches,  3.08  inches,  and  3.17  inches.  The  only  year  in 
which  the  deficiency  is  at  all  serious  is  in  1829,  and  during  the  storage 
period  of  that  year  the  precipitation  was  abundant.  It  may  there¬ 
fore  be  considered  that,  since  the  months  of  April  and  May  constitute 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


485 


about  one-fourth  of  the  navigation  period,  a  storage  volume  equal  to 
three-fourths  of  the  total  volume  of  water  to  be  furnished  by  the 
Oneida  and  Mohawk  watersheds  will  be  all  that  is  required.  This 
total  volume,  the  Salmon  River  supply  not  included,  is  29,867,926,000 
cubic  feet,  and  three-fourths  of  it  is  22,400,945,000  cubic  feet. 

The  capacity  of  the  reservoir  between  elevations  379  and  386  is 
25,302,400,000  cubic  feet,  a  surplus  of  2,901,455,000  cubic  feet  above 
what  is  needed.  In  addition  to  this,  the  water  surface  could  be  raised 
1  or  2  feet  above  elevation  386  without  doing  any  harm,  since  the  locks 
are  to  be  built  to  elevation  391  and  the  embankment  at  the  weir  in 
Oneida  River  to  elevation  396. 

Because  of  the  uncertainty  of  calculations  based  upon  rainfall  data 
it  may  be  well  to  inquire  what  conditions  would  develop  in  the  event 
of  a  year  so  dry  that  a  sufficient  supply  of  water  failed  to  be  collected 
during  the  storage  period.  It  is  seen  at  once  that  there  is  at  the 
beginning  of  the  storage  period  a  surplus  of  water  in  the  reservoir  of 
2,901,455,000  cubic  feet,  the  amount  by  which  its  capacity  exceeds  the 
demand.  This  amount  alone  will  furnish  water  for  lockage  and  evap¬ 
oration  at  the  usual  rate  for  nineteen  days. 

Referring  to  the  Salmon  River  reservoir,  there  would  probably  be 
many  years  when  the  whole  or  a  part  of  its  waters  would  not  be 
needed.  In  such  a  case  during  the  succeeding  storage  period  only  a 
fraction  of  the  drainage  from  the  Salmon  River  basin  would  be  needed 
to  fill  that  reservoir  and  the  remainder  could  be  turned  directly  into 
Oneida  Lake.  If  it  were  not  needed  in  the  lake,  it  would  run  over  the 
weir  in  Oneida  River  and  thence  into  Lake  Ontario,  but  if  it  should 
happen  that  the  Oneida  reservoir  was  not  tilled  by  the  drainage 
naturally  tributary  to  it,  then  this  overflow  from  Salmon  River  might 
help  to  till  it.  It  may  be  well  to  state  that  in  calculating  the  volume 
of  the  Oneida  storage  reservoir  no  account  was  made  of  the  ground 
water  which  would  drain  from  the  shores  of  the  lake  when  the  water 
surface  is  lowered.  The  area  bordering  the  lake  which  it  is  proposed 
to  submerge  contains  about  12  square  miles  of  swamp  land,  the 
drainage  from  which,  when  the  water  surface  is  lowered,  would  be  con¬ 
siderable. 

The  occurrence  in  succession  of  two  years  of  maximum  dryness  is  a 
rare  contingency,  but  because  of  its  possibility  it  may  be  profitable  to 
ask  what  would  happen  if,  after  using  the  reserve  supply  above 
described,  there  came  another  year  of  equal  dryness.  In  that  case 
there  would  be  a  deficiency  in  the  ordinary  supply  and  the  reserve 
described  above  would  be  wholly  wanting.  The  case  would  be  unfor¬ 
tunate,  of  course,  but  it  would  not  cause  the  suspension  of  navigation. 
Suppose  a  30-foot  channel  has  been  constructed,  then,  when  the  water 
supply  begins  to  fail,  the  available  depth  in  the  summit  level  will 
diminish;  but  the  volume  of  water  lying  between  elevations  379  and 
377  is  6,244,760,000  cubic  feet  and  would  furnish  water  for  evaporation 


486 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


and  lockage  at  the  usual  rate  for  forty-one  days.  With  the  water 
surface  at  an  elevation  of  377  there  would  still  be  a  depth  in  the 
channel  of  28  feet,  and  it  would  only  be  necessary  for  the  boats  to 
carry  smaller  cargoes  until  the  great  drought  had  passed. 

The  foregoing  discussion  has  not  been  carried  to  that  degree  of 
refinement  that  would  be  desirable  with  more  exact  data.  The  pre¬ 
cipitation  records  have  not  been  kept  at  a  sufficient  number  of  sta¬ 
tions,  and  those  we  have  exhibit  some  vagaries  which  raise  suspicion 
as  to  their  value.  The  percentage  of  run-off  used  in  the  computations 
may  prove  too  high  and  the  provision  for  the  noninterference  with 
water  powers  may  not  prove  satisfactory.  But  the  conditions  discussed 
include  a  maximum  length  of  navigation  season,  a  maximum  lockage, 
maximum  evaporation,  and  a  minimum  rainfall.  The  average  con¬ 
ditions  would  be  more  favorable,  and  in  the  extreme  case  Oneida 
Lake  would  continue  to  act  as  a  reservoir  no  matter  how  great  the 
demand  upon  it.  If  drawn  down  8  feet  below  proposed  low  water,  it 
would  still  have  an  area  of  about  80  square  miles,  and  a  month’s 
traffic  would  lower  it  but  little.  So,  if  it  be  assumed  that  the  average 
water  supply  is  sufficient,  navigation  need  never  be  suspended,  though 
at  times  the  maximum  depth  of  water  may  not  be  available  in  the 
summit  level. 

This  condition,  is  in  striking  contrast  to  that  which  would  exist  with 
a  short  high-summit  level  dependent  upon  a  feeder  supply.  With 
such  a  plan,  if  the  storage  supply  were  exhausted  or  if  the  banks  of 
the  feeder  or  reservoir  should  fail,  the  water  would  at  once  be  cut  off 
from  the  canal  and  navigation  wholly  suspended. 

In  conclusion,  it  maybe  stated  that  notwithstanding  the  unsatisfac¬ 
tory  character  of  the  data  used,  the  results  indicate  a  strong  proba¬ 
bility  that  a  sufficient  water  supply  may  be  obtained  by  this  plan, 
and  it  would  be  well  to  verify  them  by  a  series  of  discharge  measure¬ 
ments  on  the  Oneida  and  Mohawk  rivers.  Such  measurements,  in 
connection  with  gauge  records  covering  years  of  maximum  and  mini¬ 
mum  discharge,  would  permit  a  proper  and  final  design  for  the  water 
supply. 

A  gauge  was  established  at  Brewerton  in  January,  1898,  and  was 
read  under  the  direction  of  the  undersigned  until  June  1,  1899,  and 
the  record  preserved.  Mr.  F.  II.  Newell,  hydrographer  in  charge, 
United  States  Geological  Survey,  has  since  continued  the  readings, 
and  each  year  will  add  to  the  value  of  the  record. 

The  effect  of  floods  on  Oneida  Lake  has  been  discussed  under  the 
high-level  plan  with  an  area  of  water  surface  of  about  96  square 
miles.  Since  by  the  low-level  plan  the  area  would  be  148.7  square 
miles,  or  about  55  per  cent  greater,  the  fluctuation  due  to  freshets 
would  be  much  less,  and  so  small  as  to  be  of  no  especial  interest. 

The  advantages  shown  by  the  low-level  plan  may  now  be  summed 
up  as  follows: 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


487 


If  at  any  time  the  supply  of  stored  water  should  prove  insufficient, 
navigation  need  not  be  suspended,  since  the  Oneida  reservoir  could 
be  drawn  below  the  low-water  elevation,  and  thus  furnish  a  continuous 
supply  of  water  at  the  expense  of  a  slightly  decreased  depth  of  water 
in  the  summit  level. 

The  difficulties  and  uncertainties  of  maintaining  a  feeder  about  90 
miles  long  and  extending  for  a  considerable  portion  of  its  length 
across  the  drainage  lines  of  the  country  would  be  avoided. 

There  would  be  a  saving  of  two  locks  with  their  attendant  delays  to 
navigation,  and  if  the  three  locks  at  Fulton  should  be  combined  in 
two,  three  locks  would  be  avoided.  In  either  case,  the  reduction  in 
total  lift  would  vary  between  GO  feet  and  74  feet,  according  to  the  stage 
of  the  reservoir. 

The  loss  of  water  by  leakage,  though  very  small  in  either  case, 
would  be  somewhat  less,  since  between  Oneida  Lake  and  Frankfort 
the  water  surface  would  be  lower  than  the  ground  surface,  whereas 
with  the  high  level  there  would  be  a  few  places  where  the  water  might 
seep  through  the  canal  banks  into  Wood  Creek  or  the  Mohawk  River. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  SURVEYS. 

The  survey  was  made  to  cover  the  route  described  in  the  1896  Report 
of  the  United  States  Deep  Waterways  Commission,  and  also  such 
minor  variations  as  were  deemed  worthy  of  investigation.  Besides 
the  usual  base  line,  stadia  work,  and  test  boring  described  in  Appen¬ 
dix  No.  9,  the  survey  included  triangulation  of  Oswego  Harbor  and 
Oneida  Lake  and  soundings  in  Lake  Ontario,  Oswego  River,  Oneida 
River,  Oneida  Lake,  Wood  Creek,  and  Mohawk  River. 

The  survey  was  begun  at  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  in  October,  1897.  The 
force  consisted  at  first  of  a  base-line  party,  in  charge  of  Mi-.  E.  E. 
Hart,  and  two  stadia  parties,  in  charge  of  Messrs.  C.  PL  Curtis  and 
PL  A.  Bagg,  respectively.  A  sounding  party  and  a  level  party  began* 
work  early  in  November,  and  one  boring  machine  was  started  in  Peter 
Scott’s  swamp  in  the  latter  part  of  December.  Mr.  J.  C.  Hoyt  was  in 
charge  of  the  soundings,  Mr.  E.  Hilborn,  jr.,  was  selected  to  run  the 
levels,  and  Mi-.  A.  W.  Saunders  was  employed  to  superintend  the 
borings. 

An  effort  was  made  in  the  beginning  to  keep  the  force  together  as 
closely  as  possible  for  the  purpose  of  getting  started  right. 

The  survey  from  the  Oswego  light-house  to  the  first  lock  in  the 
Oswego  Canal  was  controlled  by  triangulation  which  was  made  by 
the  base-line  party.  Upon  its  completion,  the  measurement  of  the 
base  line  along  the  river  was  begun. 

The  stadia  work  was  begun  at  the  lake  shore  with  a  party  on  each 
side  of  the  Oswego  River. 

When  the  base-line  party  got  well  ahead  of  the  stadia  work,  it  was 
used,  together  with  the  level  party,  to  locate  sounding  ranges.  These 


488 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


parties  carried  along  the  base  line  and  levels,  and  located  the  sound¬ 
ings  until  December  27,  when  the  running  ice  caused  a  suspension  of 
sounding,  and  the  base  line  was  then  pushed  forward  to  Oneida  Lake 
as  rapidly  as  possible. 

The  work  upon  Oneida  Lake  could  be  done  best  in  the  winter  time, 
when  its  surface  was  frozen,  and  plans  were  therefore  made  to  do  it 
all,  if  possible,  during  the  first  winter.  That  would  necessarily  cause 
a  break  in  the  continuity  of  the  survey,  but  the  importance  of  com¬ 
pleting  the  lake  work  during  the  ice  season  made  it  the  controlling 
feature  of  the  survey.  As  it  was  impossible  to  foretell  either  the 
duration  of  the  ice  or  the  amount  of  work  which  might  be  necessary 
in  order  to  find  the  best  channel  through  the  lake,  it  was  deemed 
advisable  to  concentrate  the  whole  force  on  the  lake  and  push  the 
work  as  rapidly  as  possible.  For  this  purpose  the  stadia  work  on  the 
Oswego  River  was  suspended  and  the  parties  moved  to  Brewerton 
about  the  middle  of  January. 

The  sounding  and  triangulation  were  both  begun  January  17.  Mr. 
Curtis’s  party  had  been  assigned  to  the  triangulation,  Mr.  Bagg’s 
party  to  the  soundings,  and  the  force  was  considerably  increased  by 
the  addition  of  a  number  of  laborers. 

Fp  to  that  date  very  little  time  had  been  lost  because  of  bad 
weather,  and  there  was  so  much  topography  to  be  taken  about  Oneida 
Lake  that  a  new  stadia  party  was  organized  and  set  at  work  on  the 
north  shore  of  the  lake  January  17. 

The  borings  in  Peter  Scott’s  swamp  were  completed  about  the  mid¬ 
dle  of  January,  and  as  soon  as  the  sounding  party  was  out  of  the  way 
two  boring  machines  were  started  on  the  lake. 

In  order  to  find  the  deepest  channel  a  line  of  soundings  was  made 
across  the  lake  at  Constantia,  and  another  at  North  Bay.  A  transit 
line  was  then  run  from  the  outlet  of  the  lake  at  Brewerton  to  the 
deepest  part  of  the  lake  opposite  Constantia,  and  from  there  to  the 
deepest  point  in  the  lake  opposite  North  Bay.  This  line  was  used  as 
a  base  from  which  to  lay  out  the  soundings.  A  parallel  line  300  feet 
south  was  also  staked  and  soundings  made  along  both  lines  at  inter¬ 
vals  of  100  feet.  At  intervals  of  500  feet  lines  were  staked  perpendic¬ 
ular  to  the  base  and  sounded  far  enough  on  either  side  to  show  tliat- 
the  deepest  water  lay  within  the  sounded  area. 

A  sounding  reel  and  an  ice  auger,  such  as  are  described  in  Appen¬ 
dix  E  E  E  of  the  Report  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers,  United  States  Army, 
for  1895,  were  used  in  the  work.  The  reel  was  found  very  convenient 
and  rapid,  but  the  auger  proved  no  more  economical  than  axes. 

The  sounding  was  completed  February  7  and  the  laborers  discharged. 
The  stadia  party  resumed  its  work  at  Brewerton. 

The  base-line  party,  after  crossing  the  lake,  extended  its  line  up 
the  Wood  Creek  Valley  to  the  high  ground  near  New  London.  The 
valley  is  subject  to  frequent  floods  in  the  spring,  which  rise  above  t lie 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


489 


banks  of  the  creek,  and  it  was  intended  to  run  the  line  far  enough  to 
permit  its  continuance  at  any  time  that  might  be  desired. 

The  party  next  returned  to  the  lake  and  measured  a  base  near  North 
Bay  and  one  near  Brewerton  for  nse  in  the  triangulation.  The  base 
line  being  then  far  in  advance  of  the  rest  of  the  survey  the  party  was 
assigned  to  stadia  work  in  Sand  Ridge,  where  the  thick  woods  and 
brush  made  it  desirable  to  do  the  work  before  the  leaves  came  out  in 
the  spring. 

While  the  base-line  party  was  crossing  the  lake  the  level  line  had 
been  carried  around  the  lake  on  the  north,  and,  when  the  base  line 
was  suspended,  the  level  party  was  broken  up  temporarily  and  its 
members  divided  among  the  other  parties. 

The  material  in  the  bed  of  the  lake  proved  to  be  mostly  thin  mud, 
with  occasional  bars  of  sand  and  gravel,  and  a  little  rock  near  the 
outlet.  The  boring  was  therefore  very  easy  and  made  rapid  progress. 

It  was  completed  February  9,  and  the  party  moved  back  to  Sand 
Ridge  and  worked  in  the  small  ponds  and  marshes  in  that  vicinity 
while  the  ice  lasted.  In  the  spring  the  borings  were  completed  between 
Phoenix  and  Brewerton  and  during  the  first  week  of  June  two  boring 
machines  were  started  at  Sylvan  Beach  and  one  on  the  Oswego  River 
at  Phoenix.  The  latter  was  mounted  on  a  small  flatboat,  which  had 
an  open  well  near  the  center  through  which  the  drill  and  casing  could 
be  worked. 

The  triangulation  of  Oneida  Lake  was  completed  March  15  and  the 
party  resumed  its  stadia  work  on  the  Oswego  River.  A  description 
of  the  triangulation  is  given  under  a  separate  heading. 

As  soon  as  the  lake  work  was  completed  the  efforts  of  the  corps  were 
directed  toward  the  completion  of  the  work  between  Brewerton  and 
Oswego.  The  soundings  of  the  river  were  completed  in  a  short  time, 
and  in  the  latter  part  of  May  the  stadia  work  was  completed  and  the 
two  original  parties  moved  to  the  south  shore  of  Oneida  Lake,  while 
the  base-line  and  level  parties  resumed  their  work  near  New  London. 
There  was  no  further  interruption  of  the  base-line  work  until  its 
completion  at  Herkimer,  July  11. 

On  May  24  a  reconnoissance  was  made  by  your  Board  of  a  route  from 
Fulton  westward  toward  Sod  us.  The  route  was  found  to  be  so  crooked 
and  the  work  so  heav3T  that  no  survey  was  made  of  it.  On  the  same 
day  a  proposed  line  from  Fulton  southeasterly  through  Ingalls  Cross¬ 
ing  into  Peter  Scott’s  Swamp  was  examined.  A  preliminary  stadia  line 
had  already  been  run  over  the  ground,  and  it  appeared  so  favorable 
that  its  complete  development  was  ordered.  When  the  base  line  had 
been  completed  to  Herkimer  the  parties  engaged  upon  it  were  there¬ 
fore  moved  back  to  Fulton  to  run  this  line. 

Soundings  and  borings  were  made  for  a  harbor  at  Oswego  in  July, 
one  stadia  party  and  a  sounding  party  being  sent  from  Wood  Creek 
and  a  boring  machine  from  Phoenix  for  that  purpose.  The  soundings 


490 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


were  made  from  a  steam  launch  running  on  ranges,  and  the  soundings 
located  by  two  transits  on  the  shore.  The  borings  were  made  from  a 
small  flatboat,  the  same  that  began  work  on  the  river  at  Phoenix  early 
in  June. 

On  the  completion  of  the  harbor  work  the  stadia  and  sounding  par¬ 
ties  returned  to  Wood  Creek  and  the  boring  machine  was  moved  back 
up  the  river.  There  was  no  further  interruption  of  the  sounding  and 
stadia  work  and  they  were  both  completed  to  Herkimer  early  in 
November. 

A  second  boring  machine  was  started  near  Fulton  August  9,  and 
the  two  machines  continued  their  work  along  the  Oswego  and  over 
the  line  from  Fulton  to  Peter  Scott’s  Swamp  until  its  completion  in 
the  middle  of  January,  1899. 

The  boring  party  east  of  Oneida  Lake  found  very  hard  material 
near  New  London,  and  the  progress  was  so  slow  that  the  force  was 
gradually  increased  until  there  were  six  machines  at  work.  The  hard 
material  was  passed  a  short  distance  west  of  Rome  and  the  progress 
down  the  Mohawk  Valley  was  more  rapid.  The  borings  were  com¬ 
pleted  during  the  first  Aveek  in  January,  1899. 

The  plotting  of  the  survey  was  continued  at  Rome  until  March  1, 
1899,  Avhen  the  force  was  moved  to  the  office  of  the  board  at  Detroit. 
Since  the  method  pursued  in  the  mapping  varies  in  some  respects 
from  that  pursued  by  the  other  corps  it  is  described  with  some  detail 
under  a  separate  heading. 

In  the  spring  of  1899  a  few  additional  borings  were  made  at  the  site 
of  a  proposed  lock  near  Fulton,  and  in  July  a  complete  development 
was  made  of  a  line  from  Minetto  to  Lake  Ontario,  running  west  of 
OsAATego. 

Table  No.  19  indicates  the  size  of  the  force  and  the  progress  of  the 
work  from  its  beginning  in  October,  1897,  to  the  closing  of  the  field 
office,  February  28,  1899. 

The  men  engaged  upon  the  survey  have  taken  great  interest  in  the 
Avork  and  are  worthy  of  credit  for  their  earnest  efforts  to  accomplish 
the  best  possible  results.  1  am  particularly  indebted  for  the  active 
sympathy  and  cooperation  of  the  folloA\ing  men  who  had  charge  of 
instrument  parties  in  the  field:  F.  A.  Bagg,  A.  E.  Broenniman,  C.  E. 
Curtis,  E.  E.  Hart,  J.  Hayes,  E.  Hilborn,  jr.,  and  W.  A.  Miller.  A.  W. 
Sanders  Avas  superintendent  of  borings.  W.  J.  Bergen,  A.  Haring, 
and  II.  II.  Ross  assisted  in  the  Detroit  office  and  deserve  mention. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


491 


Table  No.  19. — Approximate  statement  of  monthly  progress  of  field  work. 


Month. 

Transit  line, 
distance  run 
in  miles. 

Levels,  dis¬ 
tance  run 
in  miles. 

Triangulations,  n  u  m  - 

ber  of  angles  ob¬ 

served. 

Topography. 

Soundings. 

Borings. 

Number 
of  names 
on  pay 
roll. 

Base  line. 

Auxiliary 

line. 

a3 

fl 

0) 

00 

2 

CQ 

Auxiliary 

line. 

Square  miles 
surveyed. 

Days  lost  on 

account  of 

storms. 

Miles  of  chan¬ 

nel  sounded.1 

Area  sounded 
in  square 
miles.2 

N  u  in  ber  of 

holes. 

Total  depth 

in  feet.3 

Surveys. 

Borings. 

1897. 

Oct _ 

6.01 

5. 54 

0.4 

168 

.  83 

go 

Nov _ 

5.34 

8.33 

16.38 

12.9 

3.5 

7. 06 

28 

Dec  .... 

14.40 

8.34 

32.01 

13.0 

. 

. 

4.5 

7.33 

. 

3 

81 

31 

12 

1898. 

Jan  __ 

30.34 

69. 58 

4.6 

t) 

1.0 

33 

1,302 

52 

15 

Feb  .... 

3. 91 

7.63 

36 

4.4 

2.98 

113 

3,398 

48 

18 

Mar 

5.31 

5. 1 

39 

1.4 

7.79 

15 

1  287 

38 

21 

Apr  .  . 

2  8 

45 

20 

May .. 

9.U3 

15. 18 

4.  7 

34 

1.241 

as 

25 

June  . 

31.35 

47. 97 

1.2 

23.  73 

70 

3, 838 

41 

23 

July 

17.03 

24.46 

9.  46 

46 

1.435 

44 

28 

Aug _ 

3.2 

09  cm 

6t> 

2, 798 

45 

45 

Sept .  - . 

1.5 

3.03 

54 

3. 166 

47 

Oct . 

3.6 

3. 60 

109 

6,045 

44 

47 

Nov _ 

\  2 

97 

4. 978 

39 

53 

Dec  . 

2,931 

32 

48 

1899. 

Jan _ 

10 

464 

4  22 

18 

Feb  ... 

4  22 

Total 

106. 89 

32.5 

308.65 

lO 

N 

CO 

_ 

249 

132.30 

cc 

Cn 

88.77 

15.80 

750 

33,711 

1  Includes  all  other  soundings.  3  Depth  of  water  not  included. 

2  Includes  Lakes  Ontario,  Onedia,  and  Pleasant.  4  Drafting. 


Note. — The  small  amount  of  field  work  done  in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1899  is  not  included. 
The  time  lost  by  storms  while  taking  topography  is  given  as  the  best  available  data  of  that 
character.  It  is  the  average  number  of  days  lost  by  the  several  stadia  parties  at  work. 


TRI  ANGULATION. 


The  Oswego  Harbor  was  covered  by  a  net  of  simple  triangles.  The 
work  was  done  by  the  base-line  party,  Mr.  E.  E.  Hart  in  charge. 

The  base  was  461.24  feet  long.  The  number  of  triangles  was  47  and 
the  longest  side  1,435.3  feet.  The  area  covered  was  yW  square  mile. 

The  triangles  were  all  small  and  no  especial  care  was  necessary  to 
insure  satisfactory  results.  Five  sides  were  both  measured  and  com¬ 
puted,  and  the  results  are  as  follows: 


Side. 

Measured 

length. 

Computed 

length. 

Discrep¬ 

ancy. 

A  B . . . 

564. 59 

564.58 

+0. 01 

B  C . 

915. 52 

915.  68 

—  .16 

H,  I  .  . . . 

1,309. 57 

1,309.49 

+  .08 

R,  S  .  . 

150.  77 

150.  76 

+  .01 

a  g . . 

491.43 

491.43 

.00 

The  only  difficulty  encountered  was  in  dodging  lumber  piles  and 
buildings. 

The  triangulation  controls  the  survey  from  the  outer  light-house  to 
the  first  base-line  station  near  Oswego  Canal  lock  No.  IS. 


492 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  triangulation  of  Oneida  Lake  was  performed  by  Mr.  C.  E.  Cur¬ 
tis  and  the  members  of  his  stadia  party,  aided,  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  work,  by  Mr.  E.  Hilborn,  jr.,  and  an  additional  rod  man. 

The  work  consisted  of  the  preliminary  reconnoissance,  selection  and 
marking  of  stations,  measuring  base  lines,  and  observing  the  angles. 
The  adjustment  of  the  angles  and  the  computations  were  performed 
later  in  the  office  at  such  times  as  were  convenient. 

Two  Buff  &  Berger  64-inch  transits  were  used  on  the  work.  The 
verniers  of  both  instruments  read  to  30  inches.  The  one  with  which 
the  work  was  begun  had  been  in  use  about  three  months.  It  had  an 
inverting  telescope.  When  Mr.  Hilborn  was  assigned  to  the  work,  the 
second  transit  was  purchased  new.  It  was  just  like  the  one  already  in 
use,  save  that  it  had  an  erecting  telescope. 

The  object  of  the  triangulation  was  to  extend  the  base  line  of  the 
survey  across  Oneida  Lake  and  to  establish  points  along  its  shores 
with  which  to  control  the  topography.  The  greater  part  of  the  lake 
had  been  mapped  by  the  United  States  Geological  Survey,  the  map  of 
which  was  very  useful  in  locating  the  various  stations. 

The  general  scheme  adopted  was  a  chain  of  six  quadrilaterals  and 
a  single  triangle,  the  triangle  being  at  the  western  end  of  the  lake. 
The  western  vertex  of  the  triangle  was  called  A  and  the  stations  along 
the  shores  were  lettered  consecutively  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  G,  and  H,  the 
subscript  n  and  s  being  used  to  indicate  whether  the  station  was  on 
the  north  or  south  shore.  The  lines  B„  Bs  and  Gs  and  Hs  were 
selected  as  bases,  and  their  lengths  measured  on  the  ice. 

There  were  also  three  stations,  ls,  2n,  3„,  located  outside  of  the 
main  system,  and  in  connection  with  other  stations  they  formed  two 
additional  triangles. 

The  stations  were  first  marked  on  the  geological  map,  care  being 
taken  that  no  angle  should  scale  less  than  30°.  Flags  were  then  set 
up  around  the  lake  at  the  various  stations  and  observed  with  a  lield 
glass  to  see  if  the  adjacent  stations  were  intervisible,  and  the  angles 
measured  roughly  with  a  pocket  compass.  Many  of  the  stations  had 
to  be  shifted  several  times  before  the  desired  conditions  could  be 
obtained.  The  map  was  not  wholly  accurate,  and  it  was  found  that 
trees  and  buildings  prohibited  the  use  of  some  of  the  lines  first  planned. 

The  line  Ds,  Es  had  to  be  cleared  for  about  1,000  feet  through  a 
piece  of  thick  woods. 

It  was  found  that  two  angles  were  slightly  less  than  30°,  and  since 
they  could  not  be  increased  without  great  difficulty  they  were  allowed 
to  stand.  Most  of  the  stations  were  located  at  the  edge  of  the  water 
in  order  to  avoid  trees.  Two  stations,  Fn  and  Gn,  were  on  quite  high 
ground,  but  the  view  from  each  was  obstructed  by  trees  and  buildings, 
and  two  wooden  towers  had  to  be  erected. 

When  it  was  found  that  F„  and  Gn  could  not  be  used  without  the 
towers,  other  plans  were  st  udied.  The  only  alternate  locations  avail- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


493 


able  were  such  that  if  adopted  they  would  make  several  of  the  angles 
considerably  less  than  30°,  and  they  could  not  be  used  at  all  without 
a  further  reconhoissance.  It  seemed  to  be  a  question  whether  it  were 
better  to  incur  a  further  expense  and  delay  for  reconnoissance  and 
accept  angles  of  a  size  which  were  too  small  for  the  best  results  or  to 
build  the  towers.  The  cost  of  the  two  towers  was  $106.40,  and  the 
expense  for  a  further  reconnoissance  and  setting  the  signals  would 
have  been  not  less  than  $25,  so  it  is  possible  that  $81.40  was  paid  for 
the  sake  of  having  the  angles  greater  instead  of  less  than  30°. 

The  signals  used  were  pine  boards,  1  inch  by  12  inches  by  8  feet 
long.  The  edges  of  the  boards  were  chamfered,  so  that  they  could 
not  be  seen  when  a  signal  was  being  observed.  On  the  face  of  the 
board  were  painted  a  series  of  black  12-inch  squares,  with  their  diag¬ 
onals  in  the  axis  of  the  board.  The  body  of  the  signal  was  painted 
white,  so  that  in  pointing  the  telescope  the  vertical  wire  would  bisect 
the  series  of  angles  made  by  the  squares. 

A  tapered  oaken  plug  was  bolted  to  the  foot  of  each  signal.  The 
axis  of  the  taper  plug  was  in  line  with  the  axis  of  the  signal.  The 
station  was  marked  by  a  cedar  post  set  in  the  ground,  with  its  top 
just  below  the  surface.  A  tapered  hole  was  bored  in  the  post  to 
receive  the  signal.  When  the  signal  was  thus  set  up,  it  was  securely 
guyed  to  avoid  motion  or  injury  by  the  wind.  When  the  signals 
were  not  in  use,  the  holes  in  the  posts  were  stopped  by  oak  plugs 
made  for  the  purpose,  and  well  greased  with  tallow  to  keep  out  the 
water.  No  trouble  was  experienced  at  any  time  in  removing  the 
plugs  and  setting  the  signals. 

These  signals  were  used  on  sides  that  were  5  miles  long,  and  were 
plainly  seen  on  clear  days,  but  there  was  much  hazy  weather  and 
light  snow,  which  made  the  seeing  bad,  so  it  was  finally  decided  to 
work  at  night.  Six  tubular  lanterns,  with  parabolic  reflectors  and 
1-inch  flat  wicks,  were  procured  and  mounted  on  stakes  which  set 
in  the  station  posts  just  as  the  signal  boards  did.  The  center  of  the 
flame  was  plumbed  over  the  center  of  the  hole.  These  signals 
worked  very  well,  and  could  be  plainly  seen  64  miles,  which  was  the 
length  of  the  longest  line. 

The  towers  were  each  36  feet  high,  and  were  built  of  rough  hemlock 
fastened  together  with  nails.  Each  tower  consisted  of  a  tripod  to 
support  the  instrument  and  a  staging  for  the  observer  and  recorder. 
The  staging  had  four  posts  placed  at  the  corners  of  a  12-foot  square. 
With  the  legs  of  the  tripod  there  were  in  all  7  posts.  Each  post  was 
built  up  of  2  by  4s  nailed  together  so  as  to  break  joints.  The  posts 
were  braced  with  boards,  1  by  6  inches,  nailed  horizontally  and  diag¬ 
onally  in  panels,  excepting  that  the  bottom  horizontal  braces  of  the 
tripod  were  2  by  4s.  The  staging  was  wholly  independent  of  the 
tripod,  so  that  no  jar  occasioned  by  the  wind  or  moving  on  the  stag¬ 
ing  could  affect  the  instrument. 


494 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


A  box  was  built  up  in  the  center  of  the  tower  to  protect  the  plumb 
bob  string  from  the  wind.  The  box  was  supported  entirely  by  the 
staging. 

At  one  corner  of  the  staging  a  ladder  was  built  to  give  access  to  the 
platform  at  the  top. 

The  legs  of  the  tripod  were  set  into  the  ground  about  18  inches,  and 
rested  on  large  flat  stones.  A  platform  was  built  on  the  bottom  of 
the  tripod  and  weighted  with  several  wagonloads  of  stone. 

Angles  were  read  successfully  from  the  towers  when  the  wind  blew 
so  hard  that  the  transit  box  was  blown  to  the  ground,  and  the  motion 
of  the  tower  was  never  so  great  that  the  motion  of  the  movable  head 
of  the  transit  was  not  sufficient  to  center  the  plumb  bob. 

The  board  on  which  the  transit  rested,  when  in  the  box,  was 
fastened  to  the  tripod  with  wood  screws,  and  a  hole  cut  in  the  center 
for  the  plumb  bob. 

’J'he  station  posts  were  set  in  the  ground  after  the  towers  were  built 
so  as  to  avoid  any  difficulty  in  centering  the  tower. 

The  different  stations  were  all  referenced  before  reading  the  angles, 
so  that  if  disturbed  they  could  be  relocated  and  also  that  they  might 
be  readily  found  later  by  the  stadia  parties.  An  azimuth  was  also 
measured  to  some  local  object  or  stake,  so  that  the  stadia  parties  could 
readily  check  on  it  and  not  be  obliged  to  depend  on  a  sight  to  another 
triangulation  station. 

An  azimuth  observation  was  made  at  A  and  another  at  H„,  for  which 
the  azimuths  of  the  triangulation  lines  were  computed,  making  due 
allowance  for  convergence. 

The  bases  Bs  Bn  and  Gs  Ha  were  measured  by  the  base-line  party. 
The  conditions  were  favorable  for  good  measurements.  Bs  and  Bn 
were  close  to  the  lake  at  about  the  elevation  of  the  water  surface. 
Gs  was  similarly  located,  but  Hs  was  about  20  feet  from  the  shore  and 
3  feet  higher.  The  weather  was  mild  and  cloudy.  A  path  was  shov¬ 
eled,  in  each  case,  along  the  ice,  and  the  tape  rested  in  snow  water;  so 
its  temperature  was  practically  constant.  The  tape  lengths  were 
marked  with  a  knife  blade  on  the  top  of  little  pine  pegs  driven  in  the 
ice,  holes  being  bored  with  an  auger  for  that  purpose.  Each  base  was 
measured  twice  in  opposite  directions  and  a  new  set  of  pegs  used  each 
time.  A  tension  of  12  pounds  was  applied  each  time  to  the  tape,  and 
the  pegs  were  lined  with  a  transit. 

After  correcting  for  tape  error  and  temperature,  the  measured 
lengths  of  GSHS  differed  by  TVoV  The  mean  corrected  length  was 
11,521.215,  and  the  proportional  errorwas  1  in  101,000.  For  BsBn  the 
measured  lengths  differed  by  yf  The  mean  corrected  length  was 
6,429.480,  and  the  proportional  error  was  1  in  213,300. 

At  each  corner  of  a  quadrilateral  there  were  measured  the  angle 
formed  by  its  sides  and  the  two  angles  formed  by  the  sides  and  the  diag¬ 
onal.  There  were,  therefore,  12  angles  measured  in  each  quadrilateral, 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


495 


and  since  there  were  6  quadrilaterals  and  3  triangles,  2  of  them  small 
and  of  secondary  importance,  there  were,  in  all,  81  angles.  Each 
angle  in  the  quadrilaterals  was  repeated  twenty-four  times,  and  if  for 
any  reason  a  set  of  readings  was  interrupted  before  it  was  complete 
an  entire  new  set  of  twenty-four  was  made. 

Two  methods  of  pointing  were  used,  the  first  being  as  follows:  Let 
A  be  the  signal  to  the  left  and  B  the  signal  to  the  right;  then  with  the 
telescope  direct  point  on  A,  clamp  below,  read,  loosen  above,  point  on 
B,  clamp  above,  read,  loosen  below.  Perform  the  same  operation  six 
times,  save  that  the  reading  is  not  to  be  made  again  until  after  the 
sixth  pointing  on  B.  Then  without  disturbing  the  reading,  reverse 
the  telescope  and  make  six  pointings  on  A  and  B  as  before,  save  that 
no  reading  is  to  be  made  after  pointing  on  A  nor  until  after  the  sixth 
pointing  on  B. 

Next  loosen  the  plates  and  shift  them  so  that  the  readings  will  come 
on  a  different  part  of  the  limb.  Then  make  twelve  pointings  as  before, 
save  that  when  the  upper  plate  is  loose,  the  motion  should  be  from  B 
to  A.  The  operation  is  now,  point  on  B,  clamp  below,  read,  loosen 
above,  point  on  A,  clamp  above,  read,  loosen  below,  point  on  B,  and 
so  on.  Do  not  read  again  until  after  the  sixth  pointing  on  A  and 
again  after  the  twelfth  pointing  on  A. 

Both  verniers  were  always  used  when  making  a  reading. 

In  this  method,  while  a  set  of  twelve  repetitions  are  being  made,  the 
motion  of  the  upper  plate  on  the  lower  is  always  in  the  same  direction, 
and  any  slipping  has  a  cumulative  effect.  It  was  found  that  this 
method  gave  angles  a  trifle  too  small;  so  the  second  method  was 
adopted.  It  differs  from  the  first  only  in  that  the  second  six  repeti¬ 
tions  are  made  from  B  to  A  instead  of  from  A  to  B.  Likewise  the 
third  and  fourth  sets  of  six  are  made  in  opposite  directions.  This 
method  eliminated  the  errors  due  to  slipping  and  produced  better 
results.  The  first  method  was  used  in  triangle  A  B„  B*  and  the  two 
quadrilaterals  next  east  and  gave  values  a  little  too  small.  The  second 
method  was  used  in  the  remaining  quadrilaterals  and  gave  half  of  the 
values  too  small  and  half  of  them  too  large,  the  mean  being  more  nearly 
correct  than  in  the  former  case. 

The  quadrilaterals  and  triangles  all  closed  within  10  seconds,  save 
Bn  Bs  Cn  Cs  in  which  the  error  of  closure  was  15.8  seconds.  It  was 
not  considered  worth  while  to  try  to  reduce  the  error,  as  its  effect  would 
occasion  no  practical  inconvenience  or  injury  to  the  work. 

When  it  became  necessary  to  increase  the  force,  the  work  was  pros¬ 
ecuted  by  one  party  at  night  and  by  the  other  in  the  daytime.  The 
night  party  occupied  the  stations  having  the  longest  sights  and  was 
able  to  see  the  signals  without  difficulty. 

The  delays  due  to  wind,  snow,  and  mist  were  about  the  same  as  in 
the  daytime,  the  advantage  being  wholly  in  the  fact  that  the  night 
signals  could  be  seen  a  greater  distance. 


496 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


I)n  was  located  on  a  small  island  which  was  so  low  that  the  ice  cov¬ 
ered  it.  There  was  some  motion  of  the  ice  during  the  triangulation ;  so 
to  be  sure  of  the  position  of  the  station  the  angles  in  the  triangle  Dn  2n 
3n  were  measured  thirteen  times,  while  1)  was  in  use.  Fortunately  no 
motion  occurred. 

The  quadrilaterals  were  adjusted  according  to  the  “Rigorous 
method,”  given  on  page  514  of  Johnson’s  Theory  and  Practice  of  Sur¬ 
veying,  thirteenth  edition.  The  spherical  excess,  being  less  than  1 
second,  was  not  considered. 

MAPPING. 

The  survey  has  been  mapped  on  mounted  sheets,  the  size  of  which, 
inside  the  working  limit,  is  25  by  37  inches.  East  of  Sand  Ridge  the 
survey  has  been  plotted  to  a  scale  of  1  in  5,000.  West  of  and  includ¬ 
ing  a  portion  of  Sand  Ridge  the  surface  of  the  country  is  more  irreg¬ 
ular,  and  a  larger  scale  was  necessary  to  clearly  show  the  country;  so 
it  was  mostly  plotted  on  a  scale  of  1  in  2,500. 

The  base  line,  stadia  circuits,  and  triangulation  have  been  plotted 
by  latitudes  and  departures  and  the  courses  all  scaled  after  plotting. 
The  work  was  simplified  and  the  chances  for  error  lessened  by  mak¬ 
ing  the  sides  of  the  sheets  parallel  to  the  meridians  and  the  top  of  the 
maps  toward  the  north.  This  plan  also  permitted  a  sheet  to  be  laid 
out  at  any  time  on  any  part  of  the  survey,  because  the  latitude  and 
departure  of  its  working  limits  could  generally  be  fixed  independently 
of  the  other  sheets. 

Contours  have  been  drawn  having  a  vertical  interval  of  2  feet,  save 
in  some  few  cases  where  it  seemed  improbable  that  the  country  might 
be  affected  by  any  canal  location.  In  those  cases  a  10-foot  interval 
was  used. 

The  conventions  furnished  by  the  Board  have  been  followed 
throughout  the  work,  but  while  they  were  used  sufficiently  to  show 
clearly  the  topography  of  the  country,  care  has  been  exercised  to 
avoid  everything  in  that  line  not  wholly  necessary,  to  the  end  that 
the  maps  might  be  a  useful  medium  for  an  engineering  study  rather 
than  an  exhibition  of  artistic  skill. 

There  has  been  some  shrinkage  of  the  paper,  which  amounted,  on  a 
few  sheets,  to  one-tenth  of  an  inch  in  each  direction,  but  generally  it 
has  been  much  less.  It  has  occurred  generally  after  the  plotting  has 
been  done,  and  scalings  from  the  maps  may  be  corrected  so  as  to 
eliminate  its  effect.  The  method  of  laying  out  the  sheets  prevents 
any  cumulative  errors  due  to  this  cause. 

The  process  of  mapping  is  naturally  separated  into  two  principal 
divisions,  pencil  work  and  pen  work.  The  former  includes  plotting 
the  base  line,  triangulations,  and  stadia  circuits,  plotting  the  topogra¬ 
phy  and  sketching  contours.  The  latter  includes  inking  the  figures, 
making  the  topographical  conventions,  drawing  contours  and  right 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


497 


lines,  and  lettering-.  In  addition  to  these  there  is  checking  the  work 
and  cleaning  the  sheets. 

In  doing  the  work  the  men  assigned  to  each  of  these  subdivisions 
have  been  continued  long  enough  on  one  class  of  work  to  acquire  con¬ 
siderable  skill,  so  that  a  good  degree  of  progress  could  be  made. 
For  instance,  in  sketching  contours  a  continued  improvement  in  skill 
and  rapidity  was  observed  for  two  or  three  months  after  beginning. 

Some  parts  of  the  mapping,  such  as  sketching  contours,  lettering, 
and  making  the  conventional  signs,  required  especial  skill  and  natural 
ability,  and  this  arrangement  permitted  the  execution  of  all  such  work 
by  the  men  who  were  best  fitted  for  it.  It  was  sometimes  necessary 
to  shift  the  men  from  one  part  to  another,  in  order  to  keep  the  work 
moving  forward  in  an  orderly  manner,  and  in  that  way  the  monotony 
of  the  work  was  varied  somewhat. 

This  method  of  mapping  has  several  advantages  which  were  well 
suited  to  the  situation.  In  the  first  place,  it  permits  the  use  of  a  num¬ 
ber  of  engineers  who  are  not  skilled  draftsmen,  and  many  of  the  men 
who  had  been  employed  on  the  survey  could  be  retained  for  work  on 
the  maps.  Moreover,  a  sufficient  number  of  skilled  draftsmen  to  do 
the  whole  work  was  hard  to  find,  and  had  they  been  found  would  have 
required  larger  salaries.  By  keeping  a  man  on  one  piece  of  work  for 
several  weeks,  as,  for  example,  plotting  the  base  line  and  stadia  cir¬ 
cuits,  he  becomes  thoroughly  familiar  with  it  and  is  much  less  liable 
to  make  errors  than  where  he  only  plots  the  lines  on  a  single  sheet  at 
a  time  and  then  takes  up  another  part  of  the  work.  There  is  a  natural 
tendency  among  men  to  interpret  notes  according  to  their  memory, 
and  while  it  is  true  that  some  men  have  excellent  memories,  it  was 
desired  to  secure  a  set  of  notes  which  were  not  dependent  upon  such 
assistance  and  to  know  that  the  plotting  was  done  in  strict  conformity 
thereto. 

With  this  method  the  work  was  so  divided  and  distributed  that  no 
one  had  a  chance  to  make  any  use  of  such  familiarity  with  the  topog¬ 
raphy  as  he  may  have  gained  in  the  field,  and  if  the  notes  were  not 
clear  the  fact  was  quickly  discovered  and  steps  taken  to  remedy  the 
fault  and  guard  against  its  recurrence.  A  memorandum  book  for 
each  of  the  stadia  parties  was  kept  in  the  office,  and  in  it  were  recorded 
all  questions  or  doubts  which  arose  concerning  the  notes  taken  by 
that  party.  During  the  progress  of  the  survey,  when  all  the  notes  in 
one  field  book  had  been  plotted,  these  memoranda,  together  with  the 
field  book,  were  returned  to  the  party  in  the  field  which  had  taken 
the  notes,  and  the  proper  corrections  and  additions  made.  By  this 
means  the  stadia  parties  were  continually  posted  regarding  their 
weak  points  and  the  quality  of  their  work  improved.  The  plan  was 
so  successful  that  during  the  latter  half  of  the  survey  it  became  very 
unusual  to  find  in  the  notes  any  important  defects. 

H.  Doc.  149 - 32 


498 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


This  method  also  secured  a  degree  of  uniformity  in  keeping  the 
notes  and  making  computations  that  could  have  been  attained  in  no 
other  way.  The  work,  in  fact,  was  reduced  to  a  system  and  was, 
therefore,  at  all  times  under  complete  control. 

The  principal  errors  guarded  against  in  the  mapping  were  such  as 
might  occur  in  plotting  the  stadia  readings  and  in  sketching  the 
contours.  In  order  to  eliminate  these,  after  the  contours  had  been 
sketched  the  maps  were  carefully  examined  by  men  who  gave  nearly 
their  whole  time  to  that  work,  and  all  irregular  or  unusual  features, 
such  as  crooked  property  lines  or  peculiar  contours,  were  investigated 
and  sometimes  replotted.  All  boring  notes  were  plotted  twice,  as 
their  importance  was  much  greater  than  that  of  single  contour  points 
and  it  was  imperative  that  they  should  be  correct.  The  maps  were 
checked  immediately  after  the  contours  were  sketched  in  pencil,  and 
then  throughout  the  process  of  inking  a  close  watch  was  kept  for 
errors  and  omissions. 

Another  part  of  the  office  work  consisted  of  figuring  the  latitudes 
and  departures  and  adjusting  the  circuits,  checking  the  reduction  of 
stadia  readings,  and  extending  the  elevations  of  contour  points. 

Much  of  the  computing  that  had  been  done  in  the  field  was  refig¬ 
ured  in  the  office.  It  was  found  that  checking  which  had  been  done 
in  the  field  by  the  parties  who  took  the  notes  was  less  reliable  than 
that  done  in  the  office.  This  was  probably  because  the  members  of 
the  field  parties  were  unable  to  do  as  good  work  in  the  evening  after 
an  active  day  in  the  field  as  were  the  office  men  who  did  no  other  work, 
and  also  because  they  were  so  familiar  with  the  notes  that  any  error 
was  more  readily  passed  over  and  repeated  than  where  the  checking 
was  done  by  men  who  were  using  the  notes  for  the  first  time.  It  has 
therefore  been  a  general  rule  on  the  survey  that  all  checking  of 
numerical  work,  as  well  as  drafting,  should  be  done  by  parties  who 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  original  work. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  survey  the  field  work  was  checked  by  hav¬ 
ing  each  party  plot  its  own  work  roughly  on  protractor  sheets.  At 
that  time  there  were  only  two  stadia  parties  at  work.  They  were 
located  very  near  together,  and  the  checking  was  fairly  well  done.  It 
was  found,  however,  that  to  do  the  work  thoroughly  would  require 
the  addition  of  a  draftsman  and  a  computer  to  each  party.  Even 
with  this  change  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  keep  the  checking 
close  up  to  date,  because  the  book  which  was  in  the  field  during  the 
day  was  always  needed  at  night  for  reducing  the  readings  and  com¬ 
pleting  the  notes,  so  the  draftsman  either  had  to  be  a  whole  book 
behind  in  his  work  or  else  the  field  party  must  work  first  in  one  book 
and  then  in  another,  either  of  which  methods  was  objectionable. 

After  the  survey  had  been  in  progress  fora  time  it  was  decided  that 
since  working  maps  were  needed  they  could  as  well  be  made  by  the 
field  parties  instead  of  the  plotting  of  the  protractor  sheets,  thus  sav- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


499 


ing  some  labor  and  securing  the  necessary  check  on  the  survey  and  a 
complete  set  of  working  maps  at  the  same  time. 

It  was  desirable  to  plot  the  base  line  on  these  working  maps  by  lati¬ 
tudes  and  departures,  and,  as  they  must  be  figured,  it  became  con¬ 
venient  to  check  the  stadia  circuits  by  figuring  their  latitudes  and 
departures  and  comparing  results  with  those  of  the  base  line  at  the 
closing  station. 

The  method  pursued  thereafter  was,  therefore,  to  check  the  stadia 
circuits  by  latitudes  and  departures  immediately  when  closed;  to  send 
a  book,  when  completed,  to  the  headquarters  of  the  survey,  where 
the  numerical  work  contained  therein  was  first  checked  and  the  notes 
then  plotted  and  errors  or  omissions  reported  back  to  the  field  for 
correction.  The  work  was  so  divided  among  the  stadia  parties  that 
each  party  could  remain  long  enough  in  one  locality  to  fill  several 
books,  and  it  was  very  seldom  that  a  party  had  to  go  back  to  a  pre¬ 
vious  location  to  look  up  errors. 

After  the  winter  work  on  Oneida  Lake  was  completed  the  force  was 
so  large,  numbering,  as  it  did  for  several  months,  nearly  100  men, 
and  the  work  was  so  scattered  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  to 
maintain  a  thorough  control  of  it  if  the  mapping  had  not  been  cen¬ 
tralized  and  reduced  to  a  system  as  above  described. 

A  record  has  been  kept  of  the  amount  of  time  spent  on  the  different 
portions  of  the  drafting,  from  which  lias  been  prepared  the  following 
statement  showing  the  percentage  of  the  total  labor  expended  on  each 


part : 

Per  cent. 

Plotting  base  line,  stadia  circuits,  and  triangulation. . . .  5. 4 

Plotting  topography . . .  . .  39.  9 

Sketching  contours .  12. 1 

Checking  work. . . . 11.3 

Inking  elevations . . . .. . .  6. 1 

Inking  right  lines . - . . . .  5.4 

Inki  ng  con  tours  . . .  4.4 

Inking  names  of  property  owners . . .  5.1 

Inking  conventions,  station  numbers,  and  contour  elevations _ 3.5 

Lettering . 3.0 

Cleaning . 3.2 


Total . . . . . . . .  100. 0 


These  percentages  are  based  upon  the  actual  t  ime  spent  upon  t  he 
work,  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  its  cost,  since  the  salaries  of  t he 
men  were  varied  according  to  skill,  experience,  and  the  position  which 
had  been  held  on  the  survey. 

Respectfully  submitted.  Albert  J.  Himes, 

Ass  istant  Engineer. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


500 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Appendix  No.  14. 

OSWEGO-MOHAWK  ROUTE,  EASTERN  DIVISION. 

Detroit,  Mich.,  October  17 ,  1899. 

Gentlemen:  1  have  the  honor  to  respectfully  submit  the  following 
report  on  the  Oswego-Mohawk  route,  generally  known  as  the  Oswego 
route,  eastern  division,  from  Herkimer,  N.  Y.,  to  the  Hudson  River 
at  Troy,  N.  Y. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

Reference  is  hereto  made  to  Appendix  No.  9,  “Instructions  for  sur¬ 
vey  parties,”  as  issued  the  United  States  Board  of  Engineers  on 
Deep  Waterways,  as  governing  in  general  the  methods  of  work  pur¬ 
sued.  As  the  result  of  experience  obtained  as  the  work  advanced,  I 
found  certain  modifications  of  detail  connected  with  these  instruc¬ 
tions  advisable  on  this  division,  as  better  adapting  themselves  to  the 
conditions  existing  and  the  work  in  hand;  these,  with  the  methods 
pursued  and  results  obtained,  are  herewith  referred  to  in  this  report. 

organization. 

The  field  work  of  this  division  was  actively  b  gun  at  the  Hudson 
River  end  of  the  Oswego  route  in  October,  1897,  the  first  one-half  of 
the  month  being  occupied  in  the  organization  of  parties  and  general 
preparations  incident  to  the  beginning  of  the  work. 

A  level  party  began  work  on  October  16,  a  transit  party  on  October 
19,  one  stadia  party  on  October  21,  and  another  on  October  28.  On 
December  1,  1897,  it  was  deemed  to  the  best  interest  of  the  work  to 
combine  the  transit  and  level  work  under  one  party,  and  during  the 
remainder  of  the  survey  this  combined  work  was  done  by  the  former 
transit  party.  On  December  1,  1897,  a  sounding  party  was  organized. 

During  the  first  part  of  December,  1897,  the  necessary  outfit  and 
plant  for  a  boring  party  was  collected,  and  one  party  began  work  on 
December  21,  a  second  one  on  January  27,  1898,  and  a  third  one  about 
March  1. 

This  force  of  three  boring  parties  was  continued  until  the  latter 
part  of  July,  1898,  when  two  additional  parties  were  added,  and  on 
September  19,  1898,  a  sixth  party  was  organized.  This  force  was 
continued  until  the  completion  of  the  borings  to  Herkimer  and  from 
Herkimer  about  4  miles  northwest  to  Frankfort,  on  the  Oswego  route, 
western  division,  to  which  point  they  were  completed  on  November 
18,  1898. 

METHODS  OF  WORK,  WITH  RESULTS  OBTAINED. 

Transit  work. — This  party  was  engaged  on  days  unfit  for  field  work 
in  the  reduction  of  notes  and  computation  of  coordinates  of  transit 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


501 


stations,  which  were  sent  in  to  the  office  of  the  assistant  engineer  as 
fast  as  completed. 

As  a  general  check  on  the  results  of  the  transit  work  for  long  dis¬ 
tances  connection  was  made  between  this  work  at  station  0.0  at  the 
Congress  Street  Bridge  and  a  New  York  State  triangulation  station 
there.  Connection  was  also  made  between  the  transit  line  and  the 
following  New  York  State  triangulation  stations  along  the  line  by 
intersections  on  the  same:  At  Amsterdam,  Roman  Catholic  Church 
spire;  at  Canajoharie,  Dutch  Reformed  Church ;  at  Little  Falls,  Meth¬ 
odist  Episcopal  Church;  at  Herkimer,  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
The  coordinates  of  transit  stations  were  carried  continuously  through 
the  work,  corrections  being  applied  as  authorized  in  “Instructions 
for  survey  parties.” 

The  “  running”  error  between  observations  taken  ranged  from  00' 
35”  to  06'  20”,  and  the  distances  between  observations  taken  from  5.7 
to  9.6  miles.1  A  transit  line  traverse  along  both  banks  of  the  Hud¬ 
son  River  from  Troy  to  Waterford  showed  a  “running”  error  in 
azimuth  of  01'  30”  and  an  error  in  latitude  of  0.15  feet  and  in  depar¬ 
ture  of  0.59  feet.  The  general  direction  of  this  traverse  was  north 
and  south.  Another  transit  line  traverse  near  here  of  about  34  miles 
showed  an  error  in  azimuth  of  02'  and  in  latitude  of  3.75  feet  and  in 
departure  of  3.82  feet. 

The  following  table  shows  the  comparison  between  the  transit  work 
and  that  of  the  New  York  State  triangulation.  The  latter  is  assumed 
to  be  correct,  but  it  must  be  remembered,  in  reviewing  this  compari¬ 
son,  that  the  coordinates  of  these  triangulation  stations  are  given  to 
the  third  decimal  place  in  seconds;  also  that  the  value  of  1"  of  lati¬ 
tude,  as  measured  on  the  meridional  arc  at  42°  of  latitude,  is  about  101 
feet,  and  1”  of  longitude,  as  measured  along  the  parallel  at  42°  of 
latitude,  is  about  75  feet. 


Place. 

Difference 
in  lati 
tude  (New 
York  State 
survey). 

Difference 
in  longi¬ 
tude  (New 
York  State 
survey). 

Error  in 
transit 
line  (lati¬ 
tude-long- 
gitude). 

Propor¬ 
tion  of 

From— 

To- 

error  to 
distance. 

Congress  Street  Bridge. 

Amsterdam . 

Feet. 

24 

Feet. 

29 

Feet. 

38 

5832 

Do . 

Herkimer . 

40 

00 

40 

The  proportion  of  error  to  distance  is  obtained  by  finding  the 
hypothenuse  of  a  right-angled  triangle  from  the  latitude  and  longitude 
as  base  and  height,  respectively,  divided  into  the  total  distance  and 
expressed  as  a  fraction. 

‘The  average  running  error  for  14  observations  was:  “Running”  error  02  30  , 
distance  6.3  miles. 


502 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Level  work. — For  the  first  20  miles  of  this  work  from  the  Hudson 
River  end  Philadelphia  level  rods  were  used. 

For  the  remainder  of  the  work,  two  rods  specially  made  to  order 
were  used.  These  rods  were  made  of  white’pine,  paraffined  in  about 
one-fourth  of  an  inch,  in  one  length  of  10  feet  7f  inches  over  all,  read¬ 
ing  to  10  feet.  They  were  graduated  on  the  face  to  feet,  tenths,  and 
hundredths,  with  vernier  reading  to  thousandths.  On  the  back  of 
each  rod  a  round  folding  plumbing  level  was  attached. 

The  target  was'  square,  4  inches  high  by  54  inches  wide,  with  black 
enameled  face,  with  a  vertical  white  enamel  strip  one-fourth  inch 
wide  through  the  center,  and  two  narrow,  horizontal  white  enamel 
strips,  each  tapering  from  the  outside  edges  of  the  target  to  the  cen¬ 
ters,  these  white  strips  being  one-fourth  inch  at  outside  and  about 
one-sixteenth  at  center. 

The  target  was  moved  up  and  down  by  an  endless  steel  tape  one- 
fourth  inch  wide,  attached  to  top  and  bottom  of  target  with  screws  to 
regulate  tension  of  the  same  and  passing  over  pulleys  set  flush  in  the 
rod  near  the  top  and  bottom.  The  target  vernier  was  arranged  so 
that  it  could  be  pressed  down  fiat  on  the  face  of  the  rod  by  a  spring, 
enabling  more  accurate  reading  of  the  vernier. 

The  accompanying  sketch  shows  a  front  view  and  cross  section  of 
these  rods,  also  the  steel  pins  used  for  turning  points.  These  were 
driven  firmly  in  the  ground  by  a  wooden  mall. 

The  advantages  of  the  rods  and  turning  points  used  are,  briefly 
stated,  less  liability  of  the  rod  to  change  of  length  through  influences 
of  moisture,  no  risk  of  rod  slipping  as  in  use  of  sliding  rod,  exact 
graduation  of  the  same,  no  risk  from  rod  being  held  at  different  eleva¬ 
tion  for  fore  and  back  sight,  and  the  target  arrangement  enabling  a 
more  exact  setting  and  reading  of  the  same.  All  of  which  are  essential 
points  for  obtaining  good  results. 

Duplicate  levels  were  run  in  opposite  directions  and  the  instrument 
shaded  by  an  umbrella  from  the  rays  of  the  sun  during  hot  weather. 
Immediately  after  the  back  sight  to  obtain  height  of  instrument,  the 
forward  sight  was  taken  on  the  next  turning  point,  thus  minimizing 
risk  of  instrument  settling. 

The  limit  of  error  between  duplicate  level  lines  per  “  Instructions 
for  survey  parties,”  as  issued  by  the  United  States  Board  of  Engi¬ 
neers  on  Deep  Waterways,  was  0.05  \/distance  in  miles.  The  0.05  in 
this  formula  will  be  referred  to  as  C  in  the  following  remarks. 

The  elevation  of  68  bench  marks  were  determined  between  Congress 
Street  Bridge  at  Troy,  and  Herkimer,  the  distance  by  the  transit  line 
being  about  88  miles. 

The  mean  elevation  of  the  two  lines,  run  in  opposite  directions,  was 
used  as  the  adopted  elevation  of  the  bench  mark. 

The  maximum  value  obtained  of  C  for  lines  between  consecutive 
board  measurements  was  0.035  for  1.66  miles;  the  minimum,  0.001  for 
0.63  miles,  and  the  average,  0.0115  for  88  miles. 


_  Level  Rod _ 

Front  View  Side  View 


JULIUS  BIEN  &  CO  PHOTO  LITH 


H  Doc  149  56  2 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


503 


The  maximum  value  of  C  for  liues  from  the  origin  was  0.022  for 
18.29  miles;  minimum,  0.001  for  5.86  miles;  average,  0.009  for  88  miles. 

The  following  values  of  C  were  obtained  at  distances  stated  from 
origin.  These  values  being  selected  at  random:  0.018  at  20.81  miles, 
0.003  at  39.53  miles,  0.004  at  60.96  miles,  0.002  at  87.86  miles. 

Buff  &  Berger  level  No.  2652  was  used  ou  the  work.  It  is  but  just 
to  say  this  liue  of  level  was  run  for  the  most  part  over  level  stretches, 
following  the  transit  line  along  railroads,  roads,  and  the  Erie  Canal 
towpath,  the  total  difference  in  level  between  the  origin  and  the 
end  of  line  at  Herkimer  being  about  367  feet. 

Stadia  work. —  The  best  and  most  satisfactory  results  were  obtained 
on  this  division  under  the  following  organization  of  a  stadia  party: 
One  in  charge  to  sketch  and  direct  party,  one  observer,  one  recorder, 
four  rodmen  or  stadiamen. 

There  are  certain  advocates  of  the  plan  that  with  a  liberal  amount 
of  contour  points  taken  and  location  by  shots  made  of  existing  fea¬ 
tures,  natural  and  artificial,  the  time  taken  in  making  sketches  in 
the  field  is  largely  time  wasted.  This  supposition,  I  believe,  in  actual 
practice  will  be  found  to  be  theoretically  correct  only. 

My  experience  convinces  me  that  an  absolutely  indispensable  requi¬ 
site  to  a  correct  representation  of  the  topographic  features  of  a  section, 
when  reduced  to  a  drawing,  is  a  full,  clear,  and  complete  sketch,  not 
necessarily  to  scale,  of  the  relative  positions  of  the  several  points 
located  and  the  topography  intervening,  accompanying  the  notes  and 
made  on  the  ground  while  the  survey  is  in  progress.  This  statement 
I  mean  to  apply  regardless  of  the  number  of  shots  taken  or  locations 
made.  Whether  the  notes  are  to  be  platted  by  the  party  or  parties 
taking  the  same,  which  I  believe  to  be  preferable,  or  by  other  parties 
unfamiliar  with  the  locality,  the  sketch  is  of  inestimable  value  to  a 
correct  interpretation  of  the  notes,  however  clear  they  may  be. 

In  actual  practice  I  have  found  that  two  intelligent  persons  engaged 
on  the  same  survey  will,  with  all  the  points  taken  in  the  field  platted 
on  a  map,  in  the  absence  of  sketches,  misrepresent,  each  to  a  marked 
degree  of  difference,  the  facts  as  they  exist. 

A  sketch,  however  crude  it  may  be,  is  a  transmission  to  paper  of 
the  impression  of  the  ground  and  its  features  as  made  on  the  mind  of 
the  observer  with  the  features  spread  out  before  him,  and  is  of  more 
value  than  anything  else  in  recalling  these  features  and  correctly 
drawing  them  on  the  maps  at  some  future  time.  It  also  acts  as  a 
check  on  the  accuracy  of  the  readings  for  position  and  elevation.  It 
enables  not  only  those  engaged  on  the  survey,  but  others  not  familiar 
with  the  same,  whose  duties  it  may  be  to  plat  the  notes,  to  more 
quickly  and  accurately  draw  the  maps. 

While  the  governing  conditions  may  not  always  be  such  that  the 
notes  taken  in  the  field  can  be  platted  and  drawn  by  the  parties  tak¬ 
ing  the  same,  yet  the  nearest  approach  to  this,  and  the  sooner  they 


504 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


can  be  drawn  after  being  taken  in  the  field,  is  believed  to  be  the  best 
practice. 

The  above  observations  are  indulged  in  as  influencing  the  methods 
of  work  as  pursued  on  this  division,  and  also  for  what  use  they  may 
be  to  the  engineering  profession,  and  it  is  this  last  consideration  that 
may  prompt  a  brief  discussion  of  certain  methods,  although  not 
wholly  pertinent  to  this  report. 

In  the  above  organization  of  a  stadia  party,  the  man  in  charge 
directed  the  work  and  made  all  sketches  of  the  area  being  surveyed, 
being  at  liberty  to  follow  the  rodmen  where  he  deemed  it  best  to  more 
accurately  sketch  at  close  range.  He  identified  this  sketch  with  the 
recorder’s  notes  by  similar  numbers  for  shots  taken,  checking  up  these 
numbers  with  him  at  intervals. 

The  observer  ran  the  instrument  and  took  all  observations,  having 
a  code  of  signals  for  each  rodman. 

The  recorder  recorded  all  readings,  noting,  under  remarks,  the 
character  of  the  shot  taken — whether  a  contour  point,  a  fence  corner, 
stream,  ditch,  river  bank,  or  corner  of  a  building,  etc.,  abbreviations 
for  these  being  used  and  an  index  of  the  same  recorded  in  the  note¬ 
books. 

J list  here  I  would  state  that  no  recorder,  however  quick  he  may  be,  can 
with  a  rapid  observer  do  more  than  actually  record  for  two  or  three 
good  rodmen  or  stadiamen,  and  at  times  to  do  even  this  he  is  crowded 
for  time,  and  his  attention  is  wholly  absorbed  therewith,  to  the  exclu¬ 
sion  of  any  time  to  make  sketches.  He  is  compelled  to  remain  at  the 
instrument,  and,  even  if  time  were  available,  sketches  made  by  him 
at  long  range  would  be  useless,  as  probably  misleading  instead  of 
aiding.  Three  rodmen  or  stadiamen  were  generally  employed  in  the 
field,  and  the  fourth  one  when  occasion  required.  These  men  briefly 
noted,  when  necessary,  either  in  a  book  or  on  a  slip  of  paper,  on  the 
back  of  their  rods  the  character  of  the  location  held  at,  or,  if  covering 
a  section  of  less  importance  as  to  detail  or  inaccessible  to  the  man 
sketching,  they  made  a  sketch  connecting  the  points  taken. 

The  fourth  rodman  was  employed  the  greater  portion  of  the  time  in 
the  office  where  the  temporary  headquarters  of  the  party  were  located. 

The  map  sheets  were  furnished  the  stadia  parties  from  the  office  of 
the  assistant  engineer,  with  the  coordinates  laid  off  and  the  base  line 
platted  from  these  coordinates  on  the  same. 

The  stadia  parties  were  engaged,  on  days  when  the  weather  pre¬ 
vented  fieldwork,  in  the  reduction  of  notes  and  platting  all  shots 
taken  in  pencil  and  drawing  in  all  natural  and  artificial  features,  the 
rodman  in  the  office  prosecuting  this  work  alone  when  the  party  was 
in  the  field.  In  this  way,  all  office  work  was  kept  fairly  close  up 
with  the  fieldwork,  and  any  corrections  necessary  or  additional  data 
needed  could  be  at  once  supplied. 

As  soon  as  these  sheets  were  completed  they  were  sent  in  to  the 
office  of  the  assistant  engineer. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


505 


There  are  those  who,  generally  speaking,  have  never  used,  to  any 
great  extent,  improved  stadia  methods,  who  seriously  question  the 
accuracy  of  the  same  to  the  extent  of  its  usefulness  for  surveys  of 
this  nature  and  general  preliminary  surveys. 

It  is  believed  a  thorough  appreciation  of  the  excellent  results  attain¬ 
able  with  properly  graduated  rods  and  ordinary  refined  methods  would 
lead  to  its  more  general  adoption,  and  enable  preliminary  surveys 
and  examinations  for  contemplated  works  to  be  made  at  a  large  sav¬ 
ing  of  time  and  expense.  It  is  with  a  view  to  this  that  the  following 
results  of  stadia  work,  as  found  on  this  division,  are  given. 

In  the  early  stages  of  this  work,  when  the  organization  was  being 
perfected  and  the  parties  trained  to  the  adoption  of  the  best  methods 
for  the  prevention  and  elimination  of  errors,  more  likely  to  occur  at 
the  beginning  of  surveys  of  such  an  extended  nature,  the  transit  line 
as  measured  by  steel  tape  and  leveled  with  Y-level,  was  retraced  with 
a  stadia  line,  each  transit  station  being  occupied  and  a  forward  and 
back  reading  being  taken  in  each  case  for  distance  and  vertical  angle, 
the  mean  of  the  two  being  taken  as  the  correct  result. 

These  distances  and  elevations,  as  obtained  by  stadia,  were  carried 
continuously  over  the  distance  given,  and  offer  an  interesting  and 
instructive  lesson,  by  direct  comparison,  as  to  the  excellence  attain¬ 
able  by  stadia  methods,  compared  with  careful  transit  work  with  steel 
tape  and  Y-levels.  About  one-half  of  this  line  was  along  the  tow- 
path  of  the  Erie  Canal,  and  the  other  half  across  country.  The  work 
was  done  in  the  month  of  December.  I  do  not  believe  quite  as  favor¬ 
able  results  could  be  depended  upon  if  the  weather  was  warm  and  the 
air  “boiling.”  The  table  of  comparison  follows: 


Table  No.  1. — Comparison  of  stadia  and  base  line  work  deduced  from  the  reloca¬ 
tion  by  stadia  of  the  base  line  for  a  distance  of  5.6  miles. 


Station 
as  per 
transit 
line. 

Station  as 
per  stadia 
line. 

Error  in 
distance  of 
st  adia  line 
( +  or  — ). 

Azimuth 
by  transit 
line. 

Azimuth 
by  stadia 
line. 

Elevation 
by  level. 

Elevation 
by  stadia. 

Error  of 
stadia 
levels 
( +  or  —1. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

O 

/ 

» 

O 

/ 

* 

Feet. 

'Feet. 

Feet. 

162+37.  Sit 

165  +56. 68 

165+56. 7 

98 

16 

00 

98 

16 

00 

95. 10 

95. 10 

168+87.92 

168  +89. 1 

+  1.2 

108 

34 

GO 

108 

35 

15 

98.  42 

98. 38 

—  0.04 

173  +26.60 

173+26.3 

—  0.3 

167 

10 

(XI 

167 

11 

15 

90. 32 

90.31 

—  0.01 

182+37.06 

182  +  36.3 

—  0.8 

158 

39 

30 

158 

40 

15 

104.95 

104. 99 

+  0.04 

185  +77.10 

185  +  76.2 

—  0.9 

128 

12 

(K 

128 

12 

00 

123.86 

123.  87 

+  0.01 

189+53. 40 

189+51.7 

—  1.7 

155 

52 

3<-/ 

155 

52 

15 

136. 52 

136.60 

+  0.08 

200+29.18 

200  +25.6 

—  3. 6 

140 

50 

30 

140 

50 

CXI 

142.  70 

142.84 

+  14 

207  +  88.34 

207+84.9 

—  3.4 

139 

ii 

(XI 

139 

10 

30 

165. 41 

165.  Ii4 

4-  0. 23 

211+64.40 

211+60.1 

—  4.3 

123 

12 

30 

12-3 

12 

00 

155. 63 

155. 84 

+  0.  21 

217+74.  67 

217+70.7 

—  4.0 

150 

03 

30 

150 

03 

30 

154.73 

154.82 

+  0.09 

224  +08. 30 

224+03.2 

—  5.1 

153 

43 

30 

153 

43 

30 

164.44 

164.  52 

+  0.08 

224  +  80. 99 

224  +  75.7 

—  5.3 

1 142 

13 

(X) 

142 

09 

45 

226  -f*66. 60 

226  +  62.8 

—  3.8 

2 186 

58 

1X1 

186 

56 

00 

154. 56 

154.57 

+  0. 01 

230+17.29 

230+13.8 

—  3  5 

174 

47 

30 

174 

46 

30 

154. 37 

154.32 

—  0.05 

236+52. 67 

236  +  47.  4 

—  5.3 

161 

46 

30 

161 

45 

15 

154.86 

154.69 

—  0.17 

243+06. 16 

243  +  00.9 

—  5.3 

170 

13 

30 

170 

12 

00 

156.02 

155. 78 

—  0.24 

253  +34. 99 

253  +22.0 

—  13.0 

150 

18 

30 

150 

16 

45 

155. 95 

155.  78 

—  0. 17 

257 +58. 35 

257  +  47. 6 

— 10. 7 

120 

39 

30 

120 

37 

15 

190.21 

190.23 

+  0.02 

267  +  13. 73 

267  +00.7 

—13.0 

159 

20 

(XI 

159 

17 

30 

191.85 

191.69 

—  0. 16 

270  +06. 33 

269+92.2 

—  14.1 

3 139 

25 

30 

139 

23 

15 

19.2. 86 

192.31 

—0.55 

1  Azimuth  start  together  again  from  here. 

2  These  azimuths  are  cut  out  from  the  base  line. 

3  Difference  here  is  due  to  the  base  line  point  being  on  a  snubbing  post.  Height  of  instrument 
estimated. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


506 


Table  No.  1. — Comparison  of  stadia  and  base  line  work  reduced  from  the  reloca¬ 
tion  by  stadia  of  the  base  line  for  a  distance  of  5.6  miles — Continued. 


Station 
as  per 
transit 
line. 

Station  as 
per  stadia 
line. 

Error  in 
distance  of 
stadia  line 
(+  or  — ). 

Azimuth 
by  transit 
line. 

Azimuth 
by  stadia 
line. 

Elevation 
by  level. 

Elevation 
by  stadia. 

Error  of 
stadia 
levels 
(+  or  -). 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

O 

/ 

« 

O 

/ 

- 

Feet. 

Feet. 

Feet. 

276+16.07 

276  +01.  7 

—  14.4 

120 

31 

00 

120 

29 

00 

190. 99 

190. 90 

—  0.09 

284+41.93 

284  +29.1 

—  12.8 

146 

01 

30 

145 

59 

30 

190.68 

190. 67 

—0.01 

289+08.63 

289  +57.9 

—  10.9 

163 

59 

30 

163 

58 

15 

190. 39 

190.57 

+  0. 12 

292  +  65. 18 

292  +  54.4 

—  10.8 

136 

31 

00 

136 

30 

30 

190.33 

190. 26 

— 0. 07 

297+69.65 

297  +  60. 2 

—  9.4 

125 

35 

30 

125 

34 

45 

190.  31 

190. 11 

—0.20 

301+99.41 

301+90.7 

-8.7 

152 

07 

00 

152 

06 

15 

191.28 

191.08 

-0.20 

313+10.28 

313+03. 7 

—  8.6 

183 

00 

30 

182 

59 

45 

191.22 

191.25 

+0. 03 

322  +57.21 

322+50.9 

—  6. 3 

178 

44 

00 

178 

43 

00 

191.46 

191. 58 

+0. 12 

326  +  71.22 

326  +  63. 4 

-  7.8 

165 

37 

00 

165 

36 

00 

189. 85 

190.02 

+0.17 

332  +04.44 

331+94.9 

-  9.5 

144 

31 

00 

144 

29 

45 

191. 81 

191.95 

+0. 14 

342+11.26 

342+00.0 

-11.3 

137 

27 

00 

137 

25 

00 

189. 74 

189.  79 

+0. 05 

345  +84.25 

345+72.1 

_ 2 

172 

32 

30 

172 

30 

30 

190. 60 

190. 59 

—0. 01 

356  H- 46.  47 

356  +32. 6 

-13.9 

179 

05 

30 

179 

03 

no 

192. 10 

192. 07 

-0.03 

361+80. 69 

361+66. 3 

-13.4 

163 

35 

30 

163 

32 

45 

195. 65 

195.  75 

+0. 10 

3664-33. 37 

3664-17. 8 

—15. 6 

63 

57 

00 

63 

54 

15 

183. 60 

183  74 

+0. 14 

375+32. 27 

375  +  17.4 

-14.7 

78 

49 

30 

78 

46 

45 

178. 56 

178. 50 

— 0. 06 

378+32. 63 

378  +  17.  5 

-15. 1 

85 

52 

30 

85 

49 

30 

183. 49 

183. 56 

+0.07 

388  +  44.34 

388  +31.5 

-12.8 

31 

36 

30 

31 

33 

30 

192. 53 

192.  79 

+0.26 

392  +82. 07 

392  +  68.8 

-13.3 

26 

35 

30 

26 

32 

15 

181.46 

181.72 

+0.26 

404+77.12 

404  +65. 1 

-12.0 

15 

01 

00 

14 

58 

00 

175.74 

176. 09 

+0. 35 

410+88. 65 

410+75.8 

-12.  8 

352 

04 

00 

352 

01 

00 

179.17 

179. 46 

+0.29 

423  +62. 13 

423  +47.5 

-14.6 

28 

49 

30 

28 

46 

45 

180.20 

180.59 

+0.39 

427+47.82 

427+32.3 

—15. 5 

38 

18 

30 

38 

15 

45 

186.70 

187.11 

+0.  41 

431+88.25 

431+72.0 

—  16.2 

30 

36 

30 

30 

34 

15 

178. 26 

178. 54 

+0. 28 

437+69.49 

437+52.3 

-17.2 

44 

42 

00 

44 

40 

15 

177.05 

177. 36 

+0. 31 

411  +  89.92 

441  +  72.6 

-17.3 

46 

49 

00 

46 

47 

30 

193. 62 

193. 96 

+0.34 

445  +  82. 97 

445  +  65. 3 

-17.7 

37 

56 

30 

37 

55 

45 

215. 91 

216. 22 

+0.31 

448  +  65. 65 

448+47.6 

-18.0 

43 

53 

30 

43 

53 

15 

190.  60 

190. 95 

+0.35 

454+17.49 

453  +  98.  7 

-18.8 

14 

02 

00 

14 

02 

30 

187. 29 

187. 67 

+0.38 

458+17.33 

457+98.4 

-18.9 

15 

»>•> 

15 

15 

23 

15 

178.57 

179. 06 

+0.49 

A  number  of  stadia  circuits  were  run  during  the  progress  of  the 
work  along  the  entire  line  under  many  varying  conditions  as  to  tem¬ 
perature,  wind,  and  character  of  ground  passed  over.  To  attempt  to 
give  a  complete  list  of  them,  with  the  varying  conditions  under  which 
they  were  run,  would  consume  more  time  and  space  than  the  object 
in  view  would  justify. 

Some  of  these  circuits  of  various  lengths  began  with  and  closed  back 
on  transit  or  stadia  stations,  others  beginning  with  and  closing  on 
stadia  stations  of  previous  circuits.  The  general  results  following 
are  selected  at  random  as  samples  of  the  work  of  this  kind. 

Sixteen  circuits  as  run  by  one  of  the  stadia  parties  during  the  period 
from  May  to  October,  1898,  gave  the  following  results: 


Average  length  of  circuits . .  12,366  feet. 

Average  number  of  stations  occupied. . . . 17. 

Average  running  error  in  azimuth . . . . . . 01'  49". 

Average  error  in  elevation  . . . .  0.20  foot. 

Average  error  in  circuit .  . . .  1  in  1, 783  feet. 

Maximum  error  in  circuit . _ . lin  790  feet. 

Minimum  error  in  circuit .  1  in  3,400  feet. 


Thirty- five  circuits  as  run  by  another  stadia  party  between  October, 


1897,  and  April,  1898,  show: 

Average  length  of  circuits  _  „ . .  5,356  feet. 

Average  number  of  stations  occupied . . . . 11. 

Average  running  error  in  azimuth .  01'  32  ". 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


507 


Average  error  in  elevation .  0.47  foot. 

Average  error  in  circuit . . . . . .  tin  1,408  feet. 

Maximum  error  in  circuit . . .  1  in  801  feet. 

Minimum  error  in  circuit . . . _ . . .  lin  4,09G  feet. 


Forty-four  circuits  as  run  between  April  and  July,  1898,  show: 


Average  length  of  circuits .  __ . . .  7.384  feet. 

Average  number  of  stations  occupied . . .  12. 

Average  running  error  in  azimuth . . . 01  32". 

Average  error  in  elevation  . . . . . . . . 0.35  foot. 

Average  error  in  circuit . - . . .  1  in  1,832  feet. 

Maximum  error  in  circuit  . . . . . lin  760  feet. 

Minimum  error  in  circuit . . .  Im4.244feet. 


The  above  are  results  of  average  work  under  usual  conditions  met 
with  and  can  be  duplicated  under  same  conditions.  Results  largely 
in  excess  of  these  as  to  accuracy  of  distance  were  accomplished,  but 
are  not  given  here,  as  they  are  not  considered  fair  averages  of  what 
can  be  accomplished.  The  error  in  the  circuit,  as  given,  is  found  by 
dividing  the  length  of  the  hypothenuse  of  a  right-angle  triangle,  as 
obtained  from  the  closing  error  in  latitude  and  departure,  into  the 
length  of  the  stadia  portion  only  of  the  circuit,  the  length  of  transit 
line,  if  any,  not  being  included  in  the  length  of  circuit. 

In  stadia  work  it  will  be  found  many  observers  have  a  “personal 
error;”  that  is,  a  tendency  to  read  all  distances  either  somewhat 
longer  or  shorter  than  they  really  are. 

Very  long  sights,  work  done  when  the  air  is  “boiling”  or  during 
high  wind,  or  lines  run  over  areas  in  which  high  vertical  angles  occur, 
all  tend  to  decrease  the  accuracy  of  stadia  work,  but  as  all  these  con¬ 
ditions  are  met  with  the  results  given  embody  them. 

Soundings. — Soundings  were  generally  made  by  stretching  a  line, 
tagged  at  25-foot  intervals,  across  the  river  between  range  stakes  set 
opposite  on  each  bank. 

These  range  stakes  were  set  either  by  the  sounding  party  in  advance 
of  the  soundings,  or  by  the  stadia  parties,  as  found  most  convenient. 
Soundings  were  taken  with  a  line  or  rod,  depending  upon  the  depth 
of  the  water.  Where  the  river  was  of  such  width  as  to  render  the  use 
of  the  line  impracticable,  time  soundings  or  intersections,  or  a  combi¬ 
nation  of  both,  were  used. 

Borings. — Three  different  styles  of  boring  machines  were  used  on 
this  division  during  the  progress  of  the  work,  and  a  fourth  one,  dif¬ 
ferent  from  each  of  the  others,  for  a  short  time  during  its  last  stages. 

The  first  machine  used  was  a  “Pierce  well-boring  machine.”  Ref¬ 
erence  is  made  to  the  maker’s  catalogue  fora  description.  The  addi¬ 
tional  machines  used  were  built  on  this  work,  except  the  Sullivan 
machine.  They  were  in  two  styles,  both  of  wood,  and  of  cheap  con¬ 
struction,  but  rendered  excellent  service. 

One  style  was  a  simple  tripod,  with  pulley  at  the  top  and  a  rope 
passing  over  the  same,  to  one  end  of  which  either  a  large  wooden 


508 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


maul  was  attached  for  driving  the  casing,  or  else  the  drill  rods  for 
washing  out  the  same.  With  the  other  end  of  the  rope  one  or  two 
men  raised  the  maul  or  drill  rods.  The  other  style  was  in  construc¬ 
tion  similar  to  a  small  pile  driver,  with  a  base  of  about  4  feet  between 
foot  of  leads  and  brace  and  extending  out  about  24  feet  in  front  of 
the  leads.  It  was  about  15  feet  in  height,  with  leads  protected  by 
thin  iron  strips,  in  which  an  iron  hammer,  with  a  hollow  in  bottom 
for  wooden  cushion,  was  moved  up  and  down  by  a  rope  attached  to 
and  passing  over  an  8-inch  pulley  at  the  top. 

Another  pulley  set  in  a  bracket  just  in  front  of  the  leads  at  the  top 
was  used  to  pass  a  rope  over,  to  which  the  drill  rods  were  attached. 

The  iron  hammer  weighed  on  one  machine  about  160  pounds  and 
on  the  other  about  180  pounds,  and  was  used  for  driving  the  casing, 
the  machine  being  slipped  back  about  18  inches  by  a  bar  when  drill¬ 
ing  was  in  progress.  The  machine  was  guyed  by  two  ropes  attached 
to  the  top  and  fastened  to  iron  pins  driven  in  the  ground. 

This  machine,  with  all  the  tools,  could  be  loaded  on  a  two-horse 
wagon  in  about  fifteen  minutes,  and  could  be  set  up  ready  for  work 
in  about  the  same  time.  It  rendered  effective  service,  especially  when 
the  casing  was  hard  to  drive  and  the  holes  deep.  The  casing  was  2 £ 
inches  in  diameter,  extra  heavy,  in  lengths  of  24  to  5  feet,  with 
couplings. 

Generally,  hollow  drill  rods,  three-fourths  inch  in  diameter,  in  5 
and  10  foot  lengths,  were  used. 

Where  rock  was  penetrated  or  tested,  solid  steel  drill  rods  1£  inches 
in  diameter,  in  10-foot  lengths,  with  male  and  female  screw  couplings, 
were  used. 

Either  flat-pointed  hydraulic  bits  with  2-inch  blade  or  X  chopping 
bits  were  attached  to  drill  rods. 

Douglas  A  Gould  force  pumps  were  both  used  on  the  work  for 
forcing  water  from  barrels  or  streams  near  by  to  the  bottom  of  the 
borings  through  the  hollow  drill  rods  as  they  were  churned  up  and 
down,  the  overflow  from  the  casing  pipe  being  caught  in  buckets  and 
the  material,  after  settlement,  preserved  in  sample  bottles  for  that 
purpose. 

A  sample  was  preserved  at  each  change  of  material  and  samples 
taken  dry,  when  necessary,  by  forcing  down  a  hollow  pipe  into  the 
material,  the  elevation  above  datum  and  the  depth  of  each  material 
being  recorded  on  labels  on  the  bottles. 

Where  extra  hard  materials  or  bowlders  or  cobblestones  were  encoun¬ 
tered  and  the  casing  could  not  be  driven,  it  was  raised  up  3  or  4  feet, 
and  from  one  to  four  sticks  of  powder  let  down  and  fired  with  a  bat¬ 
tery  to  loosen  up  the  same. 

In  severe  winter  weather  portable  houses,  about  8  by  12  feet,  were 
used,  in  which  a  stove  was  placed  to  heat  water  in  times  of  freezing. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


509 


River  borings  were  made  by  placing  either  the  “Pierce  ”  or  a  tripod 
machine  on  a  catamaran  anchored  in  the  river. 

The  casing  pipe  was  pulled  either  by  a  long  wooden  lever  and  chain, 
or  by  screw  jacks,  depending  upon  the  difficulties  encountered. 

The  moves  between  borings  were  made  by  teams  when  practicable, 
or  as  near  to  the  point  as  possible. 

In  numerous  instances  the  machines  and  outfit  had  to  be  carried 
by  hand  to  places  inaccessible  to  teams.  In  this  case  two  gangs  were 
doubled  up  for  the  moving  when  necessary. 

Two  Sullivan  machines  were  used  for  about  one  month  during  the 
last  part  of  the  work,  one  on  land  and  one  on  river  borings. 

The  method  used  with  these  machines  is,  briefly  speaking,  the 
working  down  of  2^-inch  flush-joint  casing  pipe  by  a  constant  twist¬ 
ing  of  the  same  with  pipe  tongs,  and  at  the  same  time  a  liberal  use  of 
water  forced  down  through  a  1^-inch  hollow  drill  rod,  which  is  either 
pulled  up  and  down  by  rope  over  a  pulley  at  the  top  of  a  tripod  or 
else  by  twisting  the  drill  rod  with  pipe  tongs,  explosives  being  used 
to  loosen  the  material  or  remove  cobblestones  or  bowlders  in  the  path 
of  the  pipe. 

One  marked  advantage  in  this  method  is  that  the  casing  is  kept  con¬ 
stantly  loose  and  is  easily  raised  to  blast  in  the  hole  or  pulled  when 
boring  is  finished. 

Two  wagon  wheels  attached  to  two  legs  of  the  tripod  are  used  to 
wind  the  rope  attached  to  drill  rod  on  a  drum  or  in  moving  the  machine 
from  place  to  place. 

The  force  employed  with  each  machine  was  from  3  to  4  laborers  and 
a  foreman,  a  double  team  and  driver  being  employed  with  each  ma¬ 
chine,  or  for  two  machines,  as  conditions  warranted,  to  haul  water 
where  not  at  hand  or  to  move  the  plant. 

A  superintendent  of  borings  had  charge  of  all  parties,  recording  the 
results  of  the  several  borings  from  the  books  kept  by  the  foreman, 
laying  out  and  locating  holes  where  directed,  when  not  done  by  other 
parties,  and  general  direction  of  the  work  under  the  assistant  engineer. 

The  varying  conditions  met  with  and  different  kinds  of  material 
encountered  in  a  work  of  this  kind  render  comparisons  difficult  between 
the  results  obtained  from  different  machines  and  methods,  a  machine 
and  method  well  adapted  to  one  locality  being  comparatively  useless 
in  another,  and  results  obtained  as  to  progress  made  and  cost  of  work 
on  this  division  can  not  be  taken  as  a  criterion  for  others. 

The  following  tabulated  statement  showing  depth  penetrated  in 
different  kinds  of  material,  with  total  penetration  and  cost  of  same 
per  foot,  maybe  of  interest.  The  borings  varied  in  depth  from  a  few 
feet  to  a  maximum  of  from  100  to  190  feet.  The  price  per  foot  includes 
all  items  of  cost,  including  plant. 


510 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Table  No.  2. — Shotring  number  of  borings  made .  character  of  material  penetrated, 
with  total  penetration  and  average  cost  per  foot. 


Test 

soundings 
by  hand 
with  steel 
rod  in 
Mohawk 
River. 

Test  bor¬ 
ings  with 
machine 
on  land 
and  river 
in  Mohawk 
Valley.a 

Test  bor¬ 
ings  with 
machine  on 
cross-coun¬ 
try  lines 
and  addi¬ 
tional  bor¬ 
ings  in 
Mohawk 
Valley.  6 

Total. 

Number  of  land  borings . . - . . 

894 

271 

1, 165 
397 

Number  of  river  borings . . . 

397 

Number  of  soundings . - _ 

290 

290 

7,139 

472 

7.611 
20. 706 

53 

17. 097 

36 

3,762 

6. 082 

9,880 

177 

177 

Gravel . - . . 

118 

2, 678 

19 

2,815 

161 

Shale . - . - . 

44 

117 

Hard  pan . . . . . . . 

40 

60 

100 

664 

1,529 

Sand  and  gravel . _ . _  _ . 

290 

1,637 

726 

861 

2,728 

Sand  and  clay . . . . . . 

2,450 

760 

3.176 

Clay  and  gravel . . . . . 

760 

Sand  and  shale . . . 

35 

227 

262 

Clay  and  shale . . . 

900 

2 

902 

Gravel  and  stone . . . .  . . . . 

\ 

105 

105 

Gravel  and  bowlder . . . 

177 

177 

Hardpan  and  bowlder  . . . . . 

87 

87 

Hardpan  and  stone . . . . 

36 

Sand  and  cobble . . . . . 

63 

63 

Gravel  and  shale . . . . . . . 

292 

292 

Sand, gravel. and  stone . . 

22 

Sand,  loam,  and  mud . . . . 

173 

727 

900 

Sand.  clav.  and  gravel . .  . . . 

1.843 

1,843 

91 

Gravel  and  cobble  . . . . 

33 

58 

Mud . 

417 

417 

Rock . . 

413 

213 

626 

Total  penetration .  . 

1.087 

38,052 

16,382 

55, 521 

a  Including  pai  t  of  western  division 

b  Including  Niskayuna- Albany  line  via  Shakers:  Niskayuna- Albany  line  via  Town  House  Cor¬ 
ners:  Scheneetady-Cedar  Hill  and  Normans  Kill  lines.  Mohawk  Valley  (boring  for  lock  and  dam 
sites). 


Average  penetration  of  290  soundings  in  Mohawk  River  (exclusive  of  depth  of  water), 

feet . . .  . . .  3.7 

Average  penetration  of  1,291  borings  in  Mohawk  Valley . .  feet . .  29. 5 

Average  penetration  of  271  borings  on  cross-country  lines  and  for  dam  and  lock  sites, 

feet .  . . . . .  60.4 

Average  penetration  of  1,562  borings,  total  on  all  lines. . . . . . feet..  34.8 

Average  cost  of  55,521  linear  feet,  total  penetration  of  all  borings  and  soundings . .  per  foot . .  SO.  54 


OFFICE  WORK  IN  ASSISTANT  ENGINEER’S  OFFICE. 

The  office  of  the  assistant  engineer  was  located  so  as  to  be  conven¬ 
ient  and  accessible  to  the  several  field  parties,  and  was  moved  from 
point  to  point  as  the  work  progressed. 

The  transit  line  was  plotted  on  the  final  map  sheets  from  the  coor¬ 
dinates  as  computed  and  sent  in  by  the  transit  party,  and  these  sheets 
then  sent  out  to  the  stadia  parties,  by  whom  they  were  returned  with 
all  points  plotted  in  pencil,  with  elevations  and  all  data  except  contours 
as  taken  by  this  party  put  on  them. 

They  were  then  inked,  the  borings  and  soundings  put  on,  and  all 
data  checked  in  the  assistant  engineer’s  office.  They  were  then  con¬ 
toured  in  pencil  and  carefully  looked  over  by  the  head  of  the  stadia 
party,  who  made  the  field  sketches  before  inking  and  lettering.  They 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


511 


were  then  gone  over  by  the  head  draftsman  with  the  notebook  in  hand 
and  any  data  in  the  stadia,  boring,  or  sounding  books  not  on  the  maps 
supplied,  when  they  were  sent  in  to  the  office  of  the  United  States 
Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways  in  Detroit,  completed  except 
titles. 

The  above  method  of  work  was  pursued  on  the  Oswego  route  proper. 
On  the  surveys  of  the  Normans  Kill  route  all  notes  were  worked  up 
in  the  field  and  the  remainder  of  the  office  work  completed  in  the 
Detroit  office,  as  the  main  portion  of  the  office  force  was  then  located 
there  and  this  arrangement  being  deemed  best  under  the  circumstances. 

OFFICE  WORK  IX  DETROIT  OFFICE. 

The  first  work  in  this  office  was  the  projecting  of  a  center  line  of 
location  for  the  canal  on  the  completed  map  sheets  by  the  United 
States  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways,  and  the  plotting  of  a 
profile  of  the  same  on  which  the  character  of  the  material  along  the 
line  and  the  elevation  of  the  rock  surface  as  indicated  by  the  borings 
was  shown. 

Final  estimates  of  quantities  were  based  upon  cross-sections  plotted 
generally  at  100-foot,  intervals  from  the  map  sheets  showing  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  ground  and  elevation  of  the  rock,  with  the  canal  prism 
drawn  on  the  cross-section  sheets,  and  the  grade  of  the  bottom  of  the 
canal  and  elevation  of  the  water  surface  shown  thereon. 

Preliminary  comparative  estimates,  necessary  to  determine  the 
values  of  different  routes,  were  made  either  from  a  center-line  profile 
on  the  basis  of  level  cuttings  or  else  by  average  surface  elevation  as 
taken  from  the  map  sheets. 

ROUTES  SURVEYED. 

The  work  of  this  division  embraced  one  main  route,  known  as  the 
Oswego  route,  eastern  division,  and  three  subsidiary  or  alternative 
shorter  routes  from  the  Mohawk  River  near  Niskayuna  and  near 
Schenectady  across  country  to  the  Hudson  River,  known  respectively 
as  Niskayuna- Albany  route,  via  Shakers;  Niskayuna- Albany  route 
via  Townhouse  Corners  and  Schenectady-Normans  Kill  route. 

The  several  routes  mentioned  above  will  be  considered  under  their 
respective  headings. 

Oswego  Route  Proper. 

The  Oswego  route,  eastern  division  proper,  begins  at  Herkimer, 
N.  V.,  and  follows  the  general  lines  of  t lie  Mohawk  River  and  its 
valley  to  the  Hudson  River  above  Troy,  N.  Y.,  the  only  deviations 
from  the  general  line  of  the  river  and  valley  worthy  of  note  being  at 
Little  Falls,  N.  Y.,  where  the  canal  location  passes  along  the  foot  of 
the  bluff  to  the  south  of  the  river;  at  Rexford  Flats,  where  t lie  sharp 
rocky  point  of  land  between  the  New  York  Central  Railroad  and  the 


512 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Mohawk  River  is  cut  through;  at  Crescent,  where  the  line  cuts  across 
the  sharp  bend  in  the  river  and  skirts  along  the  foot  of  the  hill  to 
the  south  of  the  Mohawk;  at  Cohoes  Falls,  where  the  line  passes 
along  the  top  of  the  bluff  to  the  east  of  the  river,  and  where  a  flight 
of  six  locks  is  proposed.  From  the  above  point  the  line  cuts  across 
the  north  end  of  Simmons  Island  and  through  about  the  center  of 
Van  Schaicks  Island,  entering  the  Hudson  about  one-fourth  of  a 
mile  below  the  Twelfth  street  bridge,  connecting  this  island  with 
Lansingburg. 

Field  work. — The  survey  parties,  consisting  of  a  transit,  level,  and 
two  stadia  parties,  began  work,  as  authorized  by  the  United  States 
Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways,  with  the  mapping  of  the 
shore  lines  of  the  Hudson  River  from  the  Congress  street  bridge,  over 
the  Hudson  River  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  to  the  bridge  connecting  Waterford 
and  Lansingburg,  X.  Y.,  about  4^  miles  above  the  Congress  street 
bridge;  also  the  several  branches  of  the  Mohawk  River  entering  the 
Hudson,  with  the  immediate  country  adjacent  thereto,  including  all 
of  Green  Island,  a  portion  of  Van  Schaicks  and  Peobles  Island,  and 
of  Cohoes  and  West  Troy,  lying  between  the  Erie  Canal  and  the 
Mohawk  River. 

The  soundings  proper  began  at  the  Cohoes  Company’s  dam  above 
Cohoes  Falls,  the  work  below  this  point  being  done  by  the  stadia 
parties. 

The  boring  parties  began  at  the  entrance  of  the  South  Branch  of  the 
Mohawk  into  the  Hudson.  The  transit  work  was  begun  in  October, 

1897,  and  completed  in  September,  1898.  The  level  work  was  begun 
in  October,  1897,  and  completed  m  October,  1898. 

The  stadia  work  was  begun  in  October,  1897,  one  party  completing 
its  work  in  October,  1898,  and  the  other  party  early  in  November, 

1898.  The  work  of  soundings  was  begun  in  December,  1897,  and  com¬ 
pleted  in  October,  1898. 

The  borings  were  begun  in  the  latter  part  of  December,  1897,  and 
completed  to  Herkimer  about  the  1st  of  November,  1898,  and  to  Frank¬ 
fort  about  the  middle  of  November,  1898. 

All  work  was  prosecuted  continuously  from  its  commencement  to 
its  final  completion.  The  distance  alone  the  Canal  Center  line  from 
junction  with  Hudson  River  line  to  Washington  street,  Herkimer,  is 
83. 67  miles.  N umber  of  square  miles  of  mainland  and  islands  mapped 
on  this  route,  54;  number  of  square  miles  of  river,  9.30;  total  number 
of  square  miles  mapped,  63.30.  Area  of  Normans  Kill  line  is  11.95 
square  miles,  making  total  area  75.25  square  miles  for  the  eastern 
division. 

Reduction  of  field  notes  and  map  work. — The  reduction  of  all  field 
notes  of  this  route  was  kept  close  up  with  the  work  by  the  field  par¬ 
ties,  and  also  the  plotting  in  pencil  on  the  final  map  sheets  of  all  data, 
ready  for  inking  and  contouring  in  the  office  of  the  assistant  engi- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


513 


neer.  The  scale  of  the  maps  of  this  route  was  1  to  2500  (except 
through  Little  Falls,  when  the  scale  was  1  to  1000)  and  contour  inter¬ 
vals  2  feet. 

The  90  map  sheets,  embracing  the  total  area  mapped  on  this  route, 
were  completed,  excepting  titles,  in  the  field  office  at  Little  Falls, 
N.  Y.,  on  February  14,  and  the  necessary  office  force  for  the  work  of 
plotting  profiles  and  cross  sections  and  the  making  of  estimates  of 
cost  of  the  proposed  ship  canal  were  transferred  to  the  main  office  at 
Detroit,  Mich. 

ARTIFICIAL  FEATURES. 

The  Mohawk  Valley,  from  Herkimer  to  the  Hudson,  is  a  narrow, 
fertile  valley,  ranging  in  width  from  one-half  to  3  miles,  the  average 
width,  however,  not  exceeding  three-fourths  of  a  mile. 

Railroads. — The  four-track  New  York  Central  Railroad  follows 
along  the  north  side  of  the  valley  from  Herkimer  to  about  14  miles 
below  Hoffmanns  Ferry,  where  it  leaves  the  immediate  valley,  passing 
to  the  north  of  the  same,  and  crosses  the  Mohawk  at  Schenectady, 
going  southeast  to  Albany,  N.  Y.  The  West  Shore  Railroad,  double 
track,  follows  along  the  south  side  of  the  valley  from  Herkimer  to 
about  3  miles  above  Schenectady,  whence  it  bears  off  southward 
across  country  toward  the  Hudson  River.  The  Fitchburg  Railroad, 
single  track,  crosses  the  Mohawk  about  5  miles  above  Schenectad}7, 
forming  a  junction  with  the  West  Shore  Railroad  at  Rotterdam 
Junction.  The  Schenectady  Branch  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Railroad,  single  track,  crosses  the  Mohawk  about  1^  miles  below 
Schenectady,  going  west  toward  South  Schenectady.  The  Troy  and 
Schenectady  Branch  of  the  New  York  Central  Railroad,  single  track, 
from  Schenectady,  passes  along  the  side  hills  and  the  top  of  the  high 
bluffs  to  the  south  of  the  Mohawk  and  well  above  the  same  to  about 
3  miles  below  Rexford  Flats,  where  it  descends  into  the  valley  of  the 
river,  and  passes  through  the  same  along  the  foothills  to  the  south  to 
about  2  miles  below  Niskayuua,  where  it  again  leaves  the  valley  and 
rises  to  an  elevation  of  about  160  feet  above  the  river  at  Crescent 
station;  then  descends  toward  Cohoes,  and  crosses  the  South  Branch 
of  the  Mohawk  and  the  Hudson,  entering  Troy,  N.  Y.,  about  one-half 
mile  above  the  Congress  street  bridge. 

The  Saratoga  and  Champlain  Branch  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
from  Albany,  single  track,  crosses  the  Mohawk  just  above  the  State 
dam  in  the  Mohawk,  where  the  river  separates  into  its  several 
branches  before  its  confluence  with  the  Hudson  River,  and  extends 
northward  up  the  Hudson  Valley.  The  Saratoga  and  Champlain 
Branch  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  from  Troy,  single  track,  crosses 
the  canal  location  on  the  east  side  of  Van  Schaicks  Island  just  before 
its  entrance  into  the  Hudson  River. 

Existing  canals. — The  Erie  Canal  from  Herkimer  eastward  passes 
along  the  south  side  of  the  valley  between  the  Mohawk  River  and  the 


H.  Doc.  149 - 33 


514 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


West  Shore  Railroad,  descending  with  the  river  by  a  series  of  locks. 
It  passes  along  the  foot  of  the  Rock  Cliffs  to  the  south  of  the  Mohawk 
at  Little  Falls  and  crosses  beneath  the  West  Shore  Railroad  about  1 
mile  above  Fort  Plain,  thence  through  Fort  Plain  to  the  south  of  the 
West  Shore  Railroad,  and  crosses  the  same  again  about  one-half  mile 
below.  From  here  it  follows  along  the  south  side  of  the  valley, 
passing  through  Canajoharie  and  Fultonville  and  crossing  Schoharie 
Creek  by  an  aqueduct  at  Fort  Hunter,  thence  through  that  part  of 
the  city  of  Amsterdam  to  the  south  of  the  river,  and  through  the 
bottom  land  above  Schenectady,  and  through  this  city  to  Rexford 
Flats.  Here  the  canal  crosses  from  the  south  to  the  north  side  of  the 
Mohawk  by  an  aqueduct,  thence  continuing  along  the  north  side  of 
the  valley  to  Crescent,  where  the  canal  again  crosses  the  Mohawk  by 
an  aqueduct  to  the  north  side,  and  follows  down  this  side  and  through 
the  city  of  Cohoes,  descending  into  the  Hudson  at  West  Troy,  just 
above  the  Congress  street  bridge. 

Dams. — The  first  dams  encountered  in  the  Mohawk  on  this  division 
are  at  Little  Falls,  N.  Y.,  where  three  dams  cross  the  river.  The  first 
of  these,  known  as  the  New  York  State  Dam,  is  at  the  west  end  of  the 
city  of  Little  Falls.  This  dam  is  in  two  parts,  separated  by  Lock 
Island.  It  is  of  stone,  about  6  feet  in  height,  and  has  a  total  crest 
length  of  about  700  feet.  Elevation  of  crest  above  datum,  363.  On 
the  south  side  of  the  river  this  dam  diverts  water  for  hydraulic  power 
to  a  portion  of  the  manufacturing  industries  located  there,  and  also 
for  the  canal  feeder,  some  2,500  feet  in  length,  entering  the  Erie  Canal 
just  below  Lock  No.  39. 

On  the  north  side  of  the  river,  power  is  supplied  to  the  large  3-story 
knitting  mill  facing  on  the  river  bank. 

The  second  or  middle  dam,  located  about  one-fourth  mile  below 
the  above-mentioned  one,  and  known  as  the  Mill  Owners’  Dam,  is  a 
curved  dam  of  cut  stone,  about  10  feet  in  height  and  with  a  crest 
length  of  about  370  feet.  Elevation  of  crest,  356.  On  the  south  side 
of  the  river,  power  for  hydraulic  purposes  is  diverted  by  this  dam  for 
the  manufactories  located  along  the  river  to  the  South  Ann  Street 
Bridge,  which  crosses  the  Mohawk  about  1,000  feet  below  the  dam. 
On  the  north  side,  power  is  supplied  to  the  large  number  of  indus¬ 
tries  as  far  east  as  the  William  Street  Bridge,  which  is  some  2,300  feet 
below  the  dam. 

The  third  and  last  dam  here  is  about  one-half  mile  below  the  Mill 
Owners’  Dam,  and  is  known  as  the  Gilbert  Dam.  It  is  a  stone  dam, 
about  9  feet  in  height,  slightly  curved,  and  with  a  crest  of  about  170  feet. 
Elevatiop  of  crest,  333.7.  It  diverts  power  for  hydraulic  purposes 
for  the  Astoronga  knitting  mill,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  and 
for  the  Little  Falls  Paper  Company,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river. 

The  fourth  dam  in  the  Mohawk,  just  below  Indian  Castle,  on  the 
West  Shore  Railroad,  and  about  4  miles  below  Little  Falls,  is  a 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


515 


stone  dam  about  5  feet  in  height,  and  with  a  crest  length  of  about 
360  feet;  elevation  of  crest,  319.2.  Elevation  of  toj)  of  flash-boards, 

321.2.  It  serves  to  impound  water  in  the  Mohawk  and  supply  the 
Erie  Canal  by  a  feeder  known  as  the  Rocky  Rift  feeder,  some  4  miles 
in  length,  which  enters  the  Erie  Canal  just  below  Lock  No.  34,  at 
Mindenville. 

The  fifth  dam  in  the  Mohawk  is  about  34  miles  below  Schenectady 
and  about  800  feet  above  the  aqueduct  that  carries  the  Erie  Canal 
over  the  Mohawk  at  Rexford  Flats.  This  is  a  stone  dam  about  5  feet 
in  height,  and  a  crest  of  about  670  feet.  Elevation  of  crest,  209.7.  It 
serves  to  supply  the  Erie  Canal  feeder  at  this  place,  some  1,900  feet 
in  length,  which  enters  the  canal  just  below  Lock  No.  21. 

The  sixth  darn  is  the  West  Troy  Water  Company’s  dam,  about  3 
miles  above  Crescent.  This  is  a  stone  dam  about  4  feet  in  height, 
separated  into  two  parts  by  a  rookj^  island.  The  upper  or  north  dam, 
at  the  head  of  the  island,  has  a  crest  length  of  about  380  feet,  and  an 
elevation  of  174.2;  the  lower  or  south  dam,  at  the  foot  of  the  island, 
has  a  crest  length  of  about  290  feet  and  an  elevation  of  173.5.  It 
serves  to  impound  the  river,  from  which  a  punt  ping  station,  located 
at  this  dam,  pumps  water  to  the  reservoirs  supplying  West  Troy, 
N.  Y. 

The  seventh  dam  is  the  Cohoes  Company’s  dam,  located  about  one- 
lialf  mile  above  Cohoes  Falls.  This  is  a  stone  dam  about  8  feet  high, 
and  with  a  crest  from  the  gate-house  to  its  north  end  of  about  1,330 
feet.  Elevation  of  crest  of  masonry  is  152.4,  and  of  the  flash-boards 

154.2.  The  present  dam  was  built  in  1865,  and  its  construction 
enables  the  converting,  at  low  water,  of  the  entire  supply  of  the 
Mohawk  into  the  hydraulic  canal  of  the  company,  leading  from  the 
dam  to  the  city  of  Cohoes,  and  from  which  the  greater  portion,  if  not 
all,  the  large  manufactories  in  Cohoes  are  supplied  with  power. 

About  one-lialf  mile  below  the  above  dam  is  situated  Cohoes  Falls, 
where  there  is  an  almost  perpendicular  fall  in  the  Mohawk  of  some  60 
feet,  the  total  fall  from  the  foot  of  the  Cohoes  Company’s  dam  to  the 
foot  of  Cohoes  Falls  being  about  84  feet. 

The  eighth  and  last  dam  on  the  Oswego  route,  eastern  division, 
before  the  proposed  canal  location  enters  the  Hudson,  is  the  State 
dam  opposite  the  city  of  Cohoes. 

This  is  a  stone  dam  about  9  feet  in  height  and  with  a  crest  of  about 
1,530  feet.  Elevation  of  crest,  48.9.  It  was  constructed  to  enable  the 
boats  on  the  Champlain  Canal  to  cross  the  Mohawk,  and  also  serves  to 
divert  water  for  hydraulic  purposes  for  some  industries  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Mohawk. 

Bridges,  aqueducts,  and  ferries. — From  Herkimer  to  where  the  Nor¬ 
mans  Kill  location  leaves  the  Mohawk  at  Rotterdam  Junction,  12 
highway  and  2  railroad  bridges  span  the  river.  One  of  these  railroad 
bridges,  below  Hoffmans  Ferry,  now  in  course  of  construction,  is  pro- 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


516 

posed  to  carry  the  tracks  of  the  West  Shore  Railroad  to  a  connection 
with  the  New  York  Central;  and  the  other,  at  Rotterdam  Junction, 
carries  the  single  track  of  the  Fitchburg  Railroad.  Three  of  the  above 
highway  bridges  at  Little  Falls  and  the  railroad  bridge  at  Rotterdam 
Junction  will  be  undisturbed  by  the  canal  location  as  planned.  The 
old  stone  aqueduct  at  Little  Falls  will  also  be  untouched.  It  was 
formerly  used  to  convey  water  across  the  river  as  a  feeder  for  the 
Erie  Canal.  It  is  now  unused  and  partly  destroyed.  From  Schenec¬ 
tady  to  the  Hudson  River  via  the  Mohawk  River  there  are  7  highway 
bridges,  3  railroad  bridges,  and  2  stone  aqueducts  over  the  river.  The 
railroad  bridge  at  Schenectady  carries  the  four  tracks  of  the  New  York 
Central  Railroad.  The  one  at  Mohawk,  and  also  at  Cohoes,  carries 
the  single  track  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Railroad. 

The  aqueducts  at  Rexford  Flats  and  Crescent  carry  the  Erie  Canal 
over  the  Mohawk.  The  only  one  of  the  above  structures  undisturbed 
by  the  canal  location  is  the  Crescent  Aqueduct. 


Table  No.  3. — Existing  bridges ,  aqueducts,  and  ferries  over  Mohawle  River  from  Herkimer  to  divergence  of  Normans  Kill  line. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


517 


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Table  No.  3. — Existing  bridges,  aqueducts,  and  ferries  over  Mohawk  River  from  Herkimer  to  divergence  of  Normans  Kill  line — Continued. 


518 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


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DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


519 


PHYSICAL  CHARACTERISTICS. 

Material — From  Herkimer  to  about  1  \  miles  east  ( Station  Jf.790  to 
4850). — The  borings  for  this  section  indicate  no  rock  within  a  depth 
of  45  or  50  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  valley.  The  material  for  this 
distance  is  an  alluvial  deposit  of  soil  varying  in  depth  from  5  to  10 
feet,  underlaid  with  fine  sand,  in  places  mixed  with  gravel.  Sound¬ 
ings  taken  with  a  rod  indicate  gravel  in  river  bed. 

From  Station  4850  to  5115  at  the  upper  end  of  Little  Falls. — The  first 
rock  on  this  division  is  encountered  in  this  distance.  It  varies  in 
depth  below  the  surface  from  15  to  35  feet,  and  is  overlaid  for  the 
most  part  with  sand,  this  sand  in  places  being  mixed  with  blue  clay 
with  the  usual  deposit  on  top  of  rich  loam  about  8  feet  in  depth. 
Soundings  in  the  river  indicate  sand  and  gravel.  This  is  a  hard  rock, 
similar  in  places  to  that  at  Little  Falls.  It  outcrops  horizontally  in 
places  along  the  south  side  of  the  Erie  Canal  and  West  Shore  Railroad. 

From  Station  5115  to  5175  through  the  city  of  Little  Falls. — This 
material  is  all  a  hard  quartzite  rock  outcropping,  along  the  canal 
location,  for  almost  the  entire  distance  and  also  over  the  section  adja¬ 
cent  to  the  canal  and  in  the  river  bed. 

From  Station  5175  to  5260,  the  latter  being  about  three- fourths  of  a 
mile  below  the  suspension  bridge  below  Little  Falls. — The  borings  indi¬ 
cated  no  rock  in  the  river  bed  within  a  depth  of  40  feet  below  the 
water  surface.  The  material  in  the  bed  of  the  river  for  this  distance 
is  all  sand.  Steep,  rocky  cliffs  rise  almost  perpendicularly  along  this 
distance,  a  short  distance  back  from  the  river  bank,  as  far  east  as  the 
suspension  bridge,  where  the  gorge  opens  abruptly  into  the  river  bot¬ 
tom  some  three-fourths  of  a  mile  in  width. 

From  Station  5260  to  5650,  the  latter  being  at  St.  Johnsville. — The 
surface  of  the  rock,  as  indicated  by  the  borings,  ranged  in  depth  from 
10  to  25  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  bottom  land,  with  the  exception 
of  just  opposite  East  Canada  Creek,  where  one  boring  developed  no 
rock  at  45  feet  below  the  surface,  and  also  two  borings  about  one-half 
mile  above  St.  Johnsville,  where  no  rock  was  encountered  at  a  depth 
of  50  feet  below  the  surface.  This  rock  outcrops  in  Castle  Creek  at 
the  crossing  of  the  West  Shore  Railroad,  and  also  in  places  along  the 
line  of  this  railroad  for  the  above  distance. 

Judging  from  these  outcrops  and  also  from  the  excavation  made  for 
the  Rocky  Rift  feeder  for  the  Erie  Canal,  the  indications  are  the  char¬ 
acter  of  the  rock  for  this  distance  is  a  soft  shale  or  slate  rock  bedded 
horizontally  in  thin  layers. 

The  material  overlying  this  rock  is  sand  for  almost  the  entire  dis¬ 
tance,  with  occasional  pockets  of  gravel  and  about  5  to  10  feet  of  soil. 
The  bed  of  the  river  is  sand,  gravel,  and  cobblestones,  as  indicated 
by  the  soundings. 

From  St.  Johnsville  to  Canajoharie. — Rock  was  encountered  in  the 
borings  for  the  entire  distance  at  a  depth  varying  from  20  to  30  feet 


520 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


below  the  bottom  land.  The  surface  of  the  rock  is  fairly  level.  It 
outcrops  in  various  places  along  both  sides  of  the  valley,  generally  in 
horizontal  ledges.  Occasional  outcrops  of  slate  show  on  the  north 
side  of  the  valley,  but  the  general  indications  are  that  the  rock  along 
this  section  is  a  hard  limestone  rock.  There  is  a  large  quarry  nowin 
active  operation  about  1  mile  above  Palatine  Bridge  on  the  north  side 
of  the  valley,  at  which  stone  suitable  for  dams,  locks,  and  other 
masonry  structures  is  now  being  quarried. 

Sand  overlies  the  rock  the  greater  part  of  this  distance.  In  places 
it  is  mixed  with  gravel,  and  just  above  the  entrance  of  Garoga  Creek 
(Station  5820)  for  a  distance  of  about  one-lialf  mile  blue  clay  is  encoun¬ 
tered  to  a  depth  of  about  25  feet  above  the  rock  surface.  There  is  a 
depth  of  about  8  feet  of  soil  along  most  of  this  section.  The  riverbed 
is  sand,  gravel,  and  cobblestones. 

From  Canajoharie  to  Fultonville. — Rock  was  only  found  at  a  few 
places,  and  at  these  at  a  depth  of  from  30  to  50  feet  below  the  bottom 
land,  except  just  opposite  the  “Little  Nose,”  it  outcrops  on  the  south 
shore  of  the  river,  but  dips  down  again  to  the  east  and  west. 

The  average  depths  of  the  borings  along  this  and  other  sections  was 
30  feet  below  the  river  bed,  unless  rock  was  encountered  at  a  less 
depth  or  increased  penetration  necessary  for  determining  foundations 
for  structures. 

Limestone  rock  outcrops  in  horizontal  layers  in  numerous  places 
along  this  section  on  both  sides  of  the  valley  as  far  east  as  “The 
Noses.” 

About  H  miles  above  Yatesville  two  prominent  limestone  cliffs  rise 
several  hundred  feet  almost  perpendicularly  from  the  valley,  the  one 
on  the  north  side  being  known  as  the  “Little  Nose”  and  the  one  on 
the  south  side  as  the  “Big  Nose.”  From  “The  Noses” to  Fultonville 
soft  shale  rock  outcrops  along  the  south  side  of  the  valley,  and  is  espe¬ 
cially  noticeable  along  the  Erie  Canal  and  West  Shore  Railroad  above 
Fultonville. 

The  character  of  the  material  between  Canajoharie  and  Fultonville 
is  mostly  sand,  in  a  few  cases  mixed  with  clay  and  gravel,  the  usual 
deposit  of  soil  overlying  this  material  to  a  depth  of  about  10  feet. 
The  bed  of  the  river  for  this  distance  is  mostly  sand  and  gravel,  with 
some  cobblestones. 

From  Fultonville  to  about  1  mile  below  Schenectady  (Station  8131). — 
For  this  distance  rock  was  encountered  at  only  a  few  isolated  places 
worthy  of  mention,  namely,  about  1^  miles  below  Fultonville,  for  a 
distance  of  about  2,500  feet,  at  a  depth  of  25  feet  below  the  river  bed; 
about  3^  miles  below  Fultonville,  for  a  distance  of  3,000  feet,  at  a 
depth  ranging  from  15  to  35  feet  below  the  bottom  land;  at  Fort 
II  unter,  for  a  distance  of  about  1,000  feet,  at  a  depth  of  about  25  feet 
below  the  river  bed;  just  above  Amsterdam,  for  a  distance  of  about 
3,000  feet,  at  a  depth  of  from  10  to  40  feet  below  the  river  bed;  at 
Cranesville,  just  at  the  head  of  the  lock  th  *re,  at  a  depth  of  about  00 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


521 


feet  below  the  river  bed;  and  about  3^  miles  above  Schenectady,  for 
a  distance  of  about  2,000  feet,  at  a  depth  of  5  to  25  feet  below  the 
river  bed. 

Occasional  outcrops  indicate  the  existence  of  soft  shale  as  far  east 
from  Fultonville  as  Fort  Hunter.  From  Fort  Ilunter  to  about  11 
miles  above  Hoffmanns  Ferry  the  evidence  is  that  hard  limestone  rock 
exists  in  horizontal  ledges  of  from  1  to  6  feet  in  thickness.  Outcrops 
and  exposed  quarry  faces  at  Fort  Hunter  on  the  north  side  of  the  river 
indicate  this,  also  at  Amsterdam  along  the  north  shore  of  river  and 
in  cuts  along  the  West  Shore  Railroad  on  the  south  side  as  far  east  as 
miles  above  Hoffmanns,  also  in  the  beds  of  several  small  streams  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river.  No  outcrops  of  rock  were  noticed  for 
about  1^  miles  above  Hoffmanns  to  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
below  the  Fitchburg  Bridge,  where  slate  rock  outcrops  in  the  bed  of 
a  small  stream  (opposite  station  7864),  also  in  bed  of  Erie  Canal 
(opposite  station  7911),  also  opposite  station  7936;  soft  shale  outcrops 
along  banks  of  canal. 

The  borings  and  soundings  taken  over  this  distance  indicate  about 
10  to  15  feet  of  soil  along  the  valley.  Sand  generally  underlies  the 
soil,  with  occasional  pockets  of  gravel  and  gravel  and  sand  mixed. 
Blue  clay,  for  the  most  part  tough,  is  found  under  the  sand  in  isolated 
places  at  depths  of  from  10  to  15  feet  below  the  river  bed.  The  sand 
and  gravel  is  in  places  stratified  with  blue  clay. 

Quicksand  was  only  encountered  in  a  few  borings. 

From  the  Fitchburg  Bridge  at  Rotterdam  Junction  for  about  2  miles 
east  sand  mixed  with  large  gravel  and  cobblestones  was  found.  Blue 
clay  and  gravel,  where  found  mixed,  was  hard  and  required  the 
frequent  nse  of  explosives  to  penetrate.  From  about  one-half  mile 
above  Fultonville  to  about  3  miles  above  Schenectady  t  he  river  bed  is, 
for  the  most  part,  large  and  small  bowlders  mixed  with  cobblestones, 
although  this  condition  is  perhaps  more  pronounced  between  Fulton¬ 
ville  and  Cranesville  than  below  the  latter  place.  Strata  of  hard 
cemented  gravel  about  6  to  8  feet  in  thickness  crops  out  along  the 
north  bank  of  the  river  well  above  the  water  level  about  2  miles  above 
Schenectady  (station  7986).  This  same  material  was  encountered  in 
two  borings  on  the  same  side  of  the  river,  about  one-half  mile  below 
the  above  point.  It  also  outcrops  along  the  steep  bank  to  t lie  north 
of  the  river  opposite  Rotterdam  Junction. 

From  about  1  mile  bdow  Schenectady ^  to  Hudson  Hirer. — This  divi¬ 
sion  may  be  designated  as  the  rock  section  of  this  route,  as  shale  rock 
is  characteristic  for  almost  the  entire  distance. 

From  the  highway  bridge  over  the  river  about  1  mile  below  Schenec¬ 
tady  for  a  distance  of  about  1  mile  going  east  the  bed  of  the  river  is 
practically  all  rock,  but  it  then  dips  down  for  a  distance  of  about 
three-fourths  of  a  mile,  and  no  rock  was  found  at  a  depth  of  25  feet 
below  the  river  bed. 


522 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  surface  of  the  rock,  however,  immediately  rises  to  the  river  bed 
and  continues  with  the  same  as  far  east  as  about  opposite  Niskayuna. 

From  Niskayuna  to  Vischer  Ferry  borings  in  the  flat  bottom  lands, 
across  which  the  canal  location  passes,  developed  no  rock  at  a  depth 
of  65  feet  below  the  surface. 

From  Vischer  Ferry  to  where  the  canal  location  enters  the  Hudson 
the  bed  of  the  river  is  practically  all  rock,  at  places  developing  a  very 
irregular  profile. 

The  banks  of  the  river  in  places  along  this  section,  especially  below 
Rexford  Flats  and  from  Crescent  to  Cohoes,  are  perpendicular  cliffs 
of  soft  shale  rock.  The  section  adjacent  to  the  river  is  also  for  the 
most  part  similar  material. 

Where  there  is  a  deposit  on  the  rock  it  is  generally  sand  and  gravel 
mixed.  In  the  flat  bottom  land  opposite  Niskayuna,  to  the  north  of 
the  river,  black  loam  covers  the  surface  to  a  depth  of  10  to  15  feet, 
underlaid  by  sand  and  blue  clay,  in  places  stratified. 

SUMMARY. 

A  summary  of  the  material  from  Herkimer  to  the  Hudson  River,  via 
the  Mohawk,  fropi  information  at  hand,  combined  with  the  prelimi¬ 
nary  geological  map  as  issued  by  the  State  of  New  York,  developed 
the  fact  that  from  Herkimer  to  the  Suspension  Bridge  below  Little 
Falls  the  rock  is  hard.  At  Little  Falls  it  is  a  quartzite,  designated  on 
the  geological  map  of  the  State  as  “  Laurentian  granite,”  blending  to 
the  west  into  “  Caleiferous  sand  rock,”  and  to  the  east  into  the  “Hud¬ 
son  River  and  Utica  formations.” 

F  m  the  Suspension  Bridge  to  St.  Johnsville  the  rock  is  apparently 
a  soft  shale  or  slate  rock.  From  St.  Johnsville  to  Fulton ville  the  rock 
is  for  most  part  a  hard  limestone,  and  exists  in  large  quantities.  The 
geological  map  of  the  State  indicates  the  existence  of  Trenton  lime¬ 
stone  to  the  south  of  the  river  below  St.  Johnsville,  and  Caleiferous 
sand  l-ock  on  the  north  side,  the  latter  extending  down  the  valley  to 
Sprakers,  where  a’small  area  of  Laurentian  granite  exists  to  the  north 
of  the  river.  From  the  above  point  the  rock  blends  into  the  Hudson 
River  and  Utica  formations  toward  Fulton  ville. 

From  the  above  point  to  Fort  Hunter  the  small  amount  of  rock 
found  is  shale  rock.  From  Fort  Hunter  to  above  Hoffmanns  Ferry 
hard  limestone  rock  is  found.  The  State  geological  maps  show  Cal¬ 
eiferous  sand  rock  for  most  of  this  distance,  with  small  area  of  Tren¬ 
ton  limestone  at  Tribes  Hill  and  Fonda. 

From  above  Hoffmanns  Ferry  to  the  Hudson,  shale  rock,  generally 
soft,  is  found,  designated  on  the  State  geological  map  as  Hudson 
River  and  Utica  formation. 

The  limestone  and  quartzite  rock  as  found  along  the  above  route  is 
suitable  for  concrete,  retaining  and  slope  walls. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


523 


Sand  and  gravel  exist  at  various  places  for  the  preparation  of  con¬ 
crete,  and  probably  clay,  suitable  and  in  sufficient  quantities  for  all 
puddling  needed. 

Water  courses. — The  principal  water  courses  entering  the  valley 
along  this  division  are  West  Canada  Creek,  just  below  Herkimer; 
Indian  Castle  Creek;  East  Canada  Creek,  about  6  miles  below  Little 
Falls;  Garoga  Creek,  about  2|  miles  above  Fort  Plain;  Otsquaga 
Creek,  at  Fort  Plain;  Canajoharie  Creek;  Flat  Creek,  at  Sprakers; 
Cayadutta  Creek,  at  Fonda;  Schoharie  Creek,  at  Fort  Hunter;  North 
and  South  Chuctenunda  Creek,  at  Amsterdam;  Alplaus  Kill,  above 
Rexford  Flats;  and  Stony  Creek,  at  Visclier  Ferry.  The  drainage 
area  of  the  above  water  courses  and  their  flood  discharges  will  be  dis¬ 
cussed  in  Appendix  No.  16. 

Higli-water  marks. — The  only  stationary  gauge  readings  recorded  on 
this  division  were  at  the  West  Troy  Company’s  dam.  This  gauge  was 
located  just  above  the  lower  dam  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  and 
continuous  readings  were  taken  by  the  man  in  charge  of  the  pumping 
station  located  there  from  March  12,  1898,  to  March  31,  1899. 

The  elevation  of  the  crest  of  this  lower  dam  above  datum  is  173.5. 

The  highest  reading  recorded  was  on  March  14,  1898,  elevation 
180.7,  and  the  lowest  on  July  25, 1898,  elevation  171.4.  The  ice  moved 
out  of  the  river  on  March  7,  1898,  and  a  high-water  elevation  of  186.2 
was  noted  at  Visclier  Ferry  by  the  sounding  party.  The  river  was 
then  open  to  the  Hudson. 

Two  openings  existed  in  the  West  Troy  Company’s  dam  at  the  time 
this  gage  was  located  there — one  near  the  south  bank  about  23  feet 
long  by  20  inches  deep  below  the  coping;  another  near  the  center 
of  the  dam  about  51  feet  long  and  from  3  to  8  feet  deep;  the  sectional 
area  of  the  two  openings  being  about  380  square  feet. 

Other  temporary  gauges  were  read  at  different  points  along  the  work 
by  the  several  parties  between  March  and  December,  1898,  and  simul¬ 
taneous  water  levels  were  taken  at  various  points  between  the  West 
Troy  Company’s  dam  and  Herkimer,  to  determine  the  slopes  in  the 
river. 

The  water  surface  was  about  2  feet  above  its  lowest  stage  when 
these  readings  were  taken.  The  following  high  and  low  water  marks 
were  observed,  all  with  reference  to  datum: 


High 

water. 

Low 

water. 

Schenectady  . . . . . . . . 

217.4 

210  2 

Hoff  mans  Perry . . . . . . . . . 

240.  7 

236  6 

Fort  Hunter . 

272.4 

267.1 
273. 6 

Fultonville . . . . . . .  . . 

282.6 

Cana  j  oharie _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

289. 0 

284.6 

Fort  Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . 

299.4 

291.8 

St.  Johnsville  . 

304.8 

299. 3 

Little  Falls,  below  the  dams . 

326. 9 

321.2 

Little  Falls,  upper  dam . 

364.5 

363. 8 

Herkimer . 

376. 0 

374.8 

524 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  high-water  mark  of  282.6  at  Fulton ville  occurred  while  the 
assistant  engineer’s  office  was  located  there,  and  was  regarded  as  very 
exceptional. 

Certain  information  was  obtained  along  the  valley  as  to  flood  heights 
at  different  times  during  past  years.  On  a  house  on  the  river  bank, 
just  above  the  Cohoes  Company’s  dam,  high  water  on  March  16,  1889, 
is  said  to  have  been  at  elevation  161.9,  and  an  ice  freshet  in  the  spring 
of  1868,  elevation  165.9. 

The  crest  of  the  masonry  of  this  dam  is  152.4.  A  high-water  mark 
is  given  at  Crescent,  on  the  house  of  H.  L.  Haights,  aue  to  ice  freshet 
in  spring  of  1868,  elevation  179.0. 

Ordinary  spring  freshets  here  attain  an  elevation  of  about  174.0. 

The  bed  of  the  river  below  the  aqueduct  is  rock  and  about  eleva¬ 
tion  161.  At  Dunsbach  Ferry  an  ice  gorge  in  1898  is  said  to  have 
raised  the  water  to  elevation  181.  The  ordinary  spring  freshets  attain 
an  elevation  of  175.  The  elevation  of  the  lower  chord  of  the  bridge 
here  is  about  182.  At  Forts  Ferry  a  flood  elevation  is  given  of  185.4. 

At  the  railroad  station  at  Niskayuna  a  high-water  mark  of  eleva¬ 
tion  187.9  is  given. 

Ordinary  spring  floods  reach  elevation  180.  The  railroad  track 
here  is  elevation  195.  At  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  bridge  below 
Schenectady  a  high-water  mark  is  given  of  elevation  222.9. 

The  base  of  rail  on  this  bridge  is  about  elevation  229. 

At  Canajoharie  a  high-water  mark,  due  to  ice  gorge  in  spring  of 
1890,  is  given  on  end  of  stone  wall  at  New  York  Central  Railroad 
station,  elevation  304.  The  railroad  track  here  is  elevation  300.  At 
Fort  Plain  a  high-water  mark,  due  to  ice  gorge  February  26,  1891, 
is  given  at  corner  of  Willet  and  Lincoln  streets,  elevation  310.6.  The 
West  Shore  Railroad  track  at  station  here  is  elevation  309.  About 
3  miles  above  Fort  Plain,  due  to  ice  gorge  in  1865,  water  was  over 
New  York  Central  Railroad  tracks;  elevation  of  tracks,  314.  At 
East  Creek  Station,  on  New  York  Central  Railroad,  where  East  Can¬ 
ada  Creek  crosses  the  railroad,  a  high-water  mark  was  given  by  the 
station  agent,  which  occurred  in  1896,  due  to  ice  breaking  up  in  the 
spring,  elevation  329.  The  railroad  track  here  is  elevation  332. 

At  Little  Falls  high-water  marks  are  recorded  in  the  planing  mill 
of  Andrew  Little,  located  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river,  just  below 
the  Mill  Owners’  dam.  Mr.  George  F.  Ransom,  who  has  been 
employed  in  this  mill  for  over  thirty-five  years,  informed  me  that  the 
highest  water  known  here  was  on  the  17th  of  March,  1865,  when  the 
water  was  4  feet  deep  on  the  floor  of  this  planing  mill,  or,  in  other 
words,  according  to  our  datum,  at  an  elevation  of  361.  This  flood 
resulted  from  the  rapid  melting  of  the  snow  and  from  the  fact  that 
there  was  at  the  time  about  30  inches  of  ice  in  the  river,  which  backed 
up  and  formed  an  ice  gorge  about  where  the  old  stone  archway  is  now 
located,  which  was  formerly  used  as  an  aqueduct  for  transferring  the 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


525 


water  from  an  old  canal  situated  on  tlie  north  side  of  the  river  across 
the  river  to  the  present  Erie  Canal,  as  a  feeder  for  the  same.  lie 
also  informed  me  that  on  the  17th  of  March,  1867,  the  water  was 
level  with  the  floor  of  the  planing  mill  referred  to,  elevation  357. 
This  resulted,  he  stated,  from  the  rapid  melting  of  the  snow  and  was 
not  due  to  an  ice  gorge.  He  remarked  that  while  the  water  did  not 
rise  so  high  at  this  time,  there  was  still  more  water  flowing  in  th« 
river.  At  this  time  the  present  Mill  Owners’  dam  was  not  constructed, 
but  there  was  a  dam  located  at  this  place  somewhat  similar  in  com 
struction  and  about  the  same  height,  and  his  expression  was,  in 
regard  to  the  water  coming  over  this  dam,  that  you  could  “just  see 
where  it  was.” 

The  elevation  of  the  crest  of  this  Mill  Owners’  dam,  according  to 
our  datum,  is  356.  At  a  medium  stage  of  the  water  the  elevation  of 
the  river  above  the  most  westerly  dam  at  Little  Falls  is  364.3,  and  the 
elevation  of  the  water  below  the  most  easterly  dam,  when  the  river 
is  at  the  same  stage,  is  322.5,  or,  in  other  words,  the  total  fall  of  the 
river  at  this  point  is  41.8  feet. 

In  regard  to  Mr.  Ransom’s  statement  that  the  high  water  of  1867 
was  not  due  to  an  ice  gorge,  upon  questioning  him  further  in  regard 
to  this  matter,  he  stated  that  there  was  probably  considerable  obstruc¬ 
tion  to  the  flow  of  water  in  consequence  of  the  aqueduct  above  referred 
to  and  of  the  debris,  etc.,  coming  down  the  river  and  gorging  at  the 
above  aqueduct  and  bridge  above  the  same.  If  this  had  not  been  the 
case,  it  seems  to  me  to  be  difficult  to  account  for  the  height  of  this 
water  at  the  place  he  states  in  the  mill.  I  made  an  effort  to  obtain 
information  as  to  a  high-water  mark  above  the  upper  dam  for  the 
flood  of  1865  and  1867,  but  was  unable  to  obtain  any  very  definite 
information.  I  was  told  by  a  gatemau  of  the  New  York  Central 
Railroad,  who  was  formerly  a  track  foreman  on  that  road,  and  who  has 
been  in  the  employ  of  the  same  for  a  number  of  years,  that  the  flood 
of  1867  was  probably  about  2  feet  deep  on  the  New  York  Central  tracks 
about  a  mile  above  Little  Falls,  and  he  told  me  that  a  large  cake  of 
ice  struck  a  rail  of  this  track  at  this  point  and  moved  it  about  a  foot- 
out  of  line.  He  also  informed  me,  as  well  as  other  residents  of  the 
locality,  that  the  ordinary  spring  freshet  reached  a  certain  place  on 
the  ground,  which  was  pointed  out  to  me,  the  elevation  of  which  would, 
according  to  our  datum,  be  about  369.2.  Mr.  Ransom  pointed  out  to 
me  at  the  mill  where  he  is  employed  a  mark  which  was  about  the 
usual  height  of  the  spring  freshet,  the  elevation  of  which,  according 
to  our  datum,  would  be  about  350.2. 

In  regard  to  the  height  of  the  water  at  the  Suspension  Bridge  below 
Little  Falls,  I  made  inquiry  from  the  residents  there  and  found  from 
their  statements  that  the  highest  water  known  at  that  point  was  either 
in  1865  or  1867.  My  informant  was  not  sure  which  year,  nor  could 
he  state  definitely  whether  this  freshet  was  entirely  due  to  an  ice 


520 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


gorge  or  not,  but  he  did  state  there  was  ice  in  the  river  and  that  he 
thought  there  was  an  ice  jam  about  a  mile  below  the  Suspension 
Bridge.  The  elevation  of  this  high  water  at  this  point,  and  indicated 
by  him  by  a  mark  on  the  window  frame  of  the  hotel  near  the  bridge, 
was,  according  to  our  datum,  337.2.  In  regard  to  the  ordinary  spring 
freshet,  he  remarked  that  it  was  about  the  same  height  each  year,  and 
pointed  out  a  mark  on  a  telegraph  pole  opposite  the  west  end  of  the 
hotel,  the  elevation  of  which,  according  to  our  datum,  is  about  330.2. 
According  to  this  statement,  the  ordinary  spring  freshet  would  reach 
about  the  top  of  the  banks  of  the  river  above  the  Suspension  Bridge 
on  the  north  side,  and  be  about  4  feet  below  the  towpath  of  the  canal 
on  the  south  side. 

At  Jackson  burg,  high  water  in  the  river  overflows  the  flats  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river  to  the  New  York  Central  Railroad  bank;  ele¬ 
vation  of  flats,  about  371. 

At  Herkimer,  Mr.  Fulmar,  overseer  of  the  dam  in  the  West  Canada 
Creek,  about  14  miles  above  Herkimer,  stated  that  in  times  of  lowest 
water  in  this  creek  no  water  flows  over  the  crest  of  the  dam,  and 
the  flow  in  the  canal  is  only  about  two- thirds  the  normal  flow.  He 
stated  the  water  was  lower  in  the  summer  of  1898  than  he  had  ever 
seen  it.  In  his  experience  the  water  was  also  the  highest  he  had  seen 
it,  at  the  time  of  a  spring  freshet  in  1898,  when  it  was  over  the  dock¬ 
ing  on  west  side  of  dam;  elevation  of  this  docking,  429.  He  stated  he 
had  seen  the  water  and  ice  4  feet  over  the  Mohawk  and  Malone  Rail¬ 
road  at  this  dam;  elevation  of  railroad,  427 ;  crest  of  dam  here,  eleva¬ 
tion  419.3. 

High  water  in  the  Mohawk  at  Herkimer  is  said  to  have  reached  ele¬ 
vation  384,  due  doubtless  to  ice  in  the  river. 

Canal  location  and  conditions  governing  the  same. — The  limits 
within  which  a  canal  location  for  either  a  30  or  21  foot  depth  of  canal 
prism  is  practical  along  this  route  are,  generally  speaking,  the  imme¬ 
diate  bed  or  bottom  lands  of  the  Mohawk  River. 

From  Herkimer  to  about  3  miles  above  Schenectady,  a  distance  of 
some  60  miles,  the  valley  has  an  average  width  of  little,  if  any,  in 
excess  of  one-half  mile. 

The  four-track  New  York  Central  Railroad  skirts  along  the  foot  of 
the  hills  on  the  north  side  of  the  valley,  and  the  Erie  Canal  and  West 
Shore  railroads  follow  along  the  south  side,  the  Mohawk  River  winding 
along  the  bottom  land  between,  first  close  to  the  one  side  and  then  by 
a  sudden  bend  to  the  other.  Along  this  60  miles  are  located  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  the  towns  or  cities  of  Herkimer,  Little  Falls,  St. 
Jolmsville,  Fort  Plain,  Canajoharie,  Palatine  Bridge,  Fonda,  Fulton- 
ville,  Fort  Hunter,  and  Amsterdam. 

The  located  line  along  this  60  miles  follows  generally  about  the  cen¬ 
ter  of  the  valley,  utilizing  the  present  channel  of  the  Mohawk  as  far 
as  practical  and  cutting  through  and  across  the  bottom  lands  or  islands 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


527 


where  deemed  advisable  for  various  existing  conditions  and  future 
maintenance  and  operation  so  to  do.  At  Little  Falls,  for  a  distance 
of  about  2  miles,  the  valley  contracts  to  a  narrow  gorge  through  which 
the  river  flows,  descending  by  a  series  of  dams  and  falls  a  height  of 
about  42  feet. 

A  short  distance  back  from  the  river  bank  on  each  side,  the  ground 
rises  by  either  steep  slopes  or  precipitous  rocky  cliffs  to  a  height  of 
several  hundred  feet  above  the  river.  At  this  place  the  canal  loca¬ 
tion  leaves  the  river  at  about  the  upper  or  New  York  State  dam  and 
follows  practically  the  location  of  the  Erie  Canal,  entering  the  river 
again  just  below  the  foot  of  Moss  Island  and  opposite  Lock  No.  36  of  Erie 
Canal. 

From  about  3  miles  above  Schenectady  to  the  village  of  Mohawk, 
about  1  mile  below,  the  valley  widens  out,  and  within  an  area  of  about 
2  miles  above  Schenectady  the  river  separates  into  several  branches, 
forming  three  large  islands,  and  again  converges  into  one  channel  at 
the  bridge  over  the  river  to  the  village  of  Scotia.  Within  this  area  of 
bottom  land  is  located,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  the  main  sec¬ 
tion  of  the  city  of  Schenectady. 

The  canal  location  leaves  the  main  channel  at  the  upper  end  of  this 
valley  and  curves  through  the  bottom  land,  islands,  and  side  channels 
of  the  river;  enters  the  main  channel  again  at  the  Scotia  bridge,  and 
follows  the  same  closely  past  Mohawk  to  the  village  of  Rexford  Flats, 
about  3  miles  below  Schenectady. 

From  Rexford  Flats  to  Vise  her  Ferry,  a  distance  of  about  5  miles, 
the  general  direction  of  the  river  is  straight  after  passing  the  sharp 
bend  just  opposite  Rexford  Flats  and  its  bed  for  this  distance  is  con¬ 
fined  for  the  most  part  between  almost  perpendicular  rock  cliffs. 

The  canal  location  cuts  across  the  rocky  point  of  land  to  the  south 
of  the  river  at  Rexford  Flats,  then  follows  the  present  channel  of  the 
river  to  about  14  miles  above  Vischer  Ferry,  whence  it  follows  along 
the  south  bank  and  close  to  the  Troy  and  Schenectady  branch  of  the 
New  York  Central  Railroad,  cutting  across  the  point  of  land  to  the 
south  of  the  river  opposite  Yischer  Ferry,  and  crossing  the  river  to 
the  north  side  just  below  the  ferry. 

From  Yischer  Ferry  to  the  highway  bridge  over  the  river  at  Duns- 
bach  Ferry,  a  distance  of  about  5  miles,  the  valley  widens  out,  attain¬ 
ing  a  width  of  some  2  miles  opposite  Niskayuna,  which  is  about  1  mile 
below  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  from  Yischer  Ferry. 

The  canal  location  leaves  the  river  after  crossing  the  same  below 
Vischer  Ferry  and  cuts  through  the  bottom  land  on  the  north  side 
between  the  Erie  Canal  and  the  Mohawk,  crossing  the  river  again  at 
Forts  Ferry  and  across  the  point  of  land  on  the  south  side,  again 
crossing  the  river  about  1  mile  above  Dunsbacli  Ferry  and  through 
the  rocky  point  of  land  opposite  to  and  to  the  north  of  t  he  West  Troy 
Company’s  dam,  entering  the  river  again  at  Dunsbacli  Ferry. 


528 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


From  Dunsbach  Ferry  to  the  State  dam  opposite  Cohoes,  a  distance 
of  about  5  miles,  the  canal  location  follows  the  Mohawk  to  about  1 
mile  above  Crescent.  There  it  cuts  across  the  sharp  bend  in  the  river 
about  one-half  mile  to  the  south  of  the  same  and  crosses  the  river 
about  1^  miles  below  Crescent,  cutting  through  the  small  bend  on  I  lie 
nor.th  side  and  entering  the  river  again  at  the  north  end  of  the  Cohoes 
Company’s  dam  and  passing  down  the  same  until  the  flight  of  locks 
are  entered  along  the  top  of  the  bluff  opposite  and  to  the  north  of 
Cohoes  Falls,  passing  out  into  the  river  again  just  above  the  State 
dam  at  Cohoes. 

From  the  State  dam  at  Cohoes  to  the  entrance  into  the  Hudson 
River  two  routes  were  considered,  one  being  almost  due  south  down 
the  south  branch  of  the  Mohawk  and  entering  the  Hudson  just  above 
the  Congress  street  bridge;  the  second  across  the  north  end  of  Simmons 
Island  and  through  about  the  center  of  Van  Schaicks  Island,  entering 
the  Hudson  about  one-fourth  mile  below  Twelfth  street  bridge  at 
Lansingburg.  The  second  of  these  two  routes  was  adopted  for  the 
comparative  estimate  between  this  route  and  route  down  Normans 
Kill. 

The  principal  condition  influencing  the  selection  of  the  line  across 
Van  Schaicks  Island  is  one  of  operation  rather  than  first  cost  of  con¬ 
struction,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  it  would  undoubtedly  be  a  serious 
obstacle  to  successful  navigation  in  crossing  the  Mohawk  from  the 
Waterford  to  the  Cohoes  side  or  the  reverse  by  vessels  in  times  of  high 
water,  necessitating  as  it  would  the  partial  damming  of  the  river  and 
the  full  force  of  flood  water  against  the  broadside  of  a  vessel. 

While  the  above  condition  will  partially  exist  for  the  location  across 
Simmons  Island,  the  difficulties  will  be  lessened  on  this  route  to  a  very 
appreciable  extent. 

The  conditions  governing  a  canal  location  along  this  Oswego  route 
proper  are  controlled  by  a  due  regard  to  the  elevation  of  the  rock 
surface,  where  within  the  limits  of  necessary  excavation;  the  practi¬ 
cable  height  of  this  rock  surface  where  the  construction  of  locks,  dams, 
and  other  structures  is  contemplated;  the  influences  upon  construc¬ 
tion  and  operation  of  the  water  courses,  large  or  small,  entering  the 
valley,  and  the  currents  resulting  therefrom  or  from  the  river  itself 
in  times  of  high  water;  and  a  canal  alignment  utilizing  as  far  as  prac¬ 
ticable  the  present  channel  of  the  Mohawk,  coupled  with  a  due  regard 
to  the  elimination  of  all  curvature  when  practicable  and  a  reduction 
of  its  degree  of  sharpness  to  within  the  limits  of  practicable  navigation. 

The  above  considerations,  dependent  as  they  are  upon  the  physical 
features  of  the  route,  must  also  in  a  measure  be  subservient  to,  and 
due  consideration  given  to,  the  present  grade  and  location  of  the  rail¬ 
roads  now  existing  and  in  active  operation  along  this  route;  the  large 
expense  incident  to  a  change  in  them  due  to  any  unusual  or  unprece¬ 
dented  raising  of  the  low- water  level  or  flood  discharges  of  the  Mohawk 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


529 


River  and  the  consequent  damages,  due  to  this  raising  of  the  waters, 
to  the  lands  adjacent  thereto,  the  improvements  thereon,  the  manu¬ 
facturing  enterprises  and  vested  interests  dependent  upon  the  present 
existing  conditions;  the  injury,  if  any,  to  the  present  plans  for  the 
disposal  of  sewage  in  the  several  towns  and  cities  along  the  route, 
and  the  adapting  of  the  same  to  the  new  conditions  consequent  upon 
a  canal  construction. 

In  the  proper  consideration  of  this  large  undertaking,  each  and 
every  one  of  the  above  conditions  must  be  given  its  due  consideration 
and  the  merits  of  each  interest  involved  that  is  sacrificed  for  the 
good  or  benefit  of  another  or  for  the  whole  must  be  carefully  weighed 
and  the  final  location  decided  upon,  not  only  after  a  due  regard  to 
each  with  reference  to  the  first  expense  incurred  in  the  carrying  out 
of  the  plans,  but  also  to  the  future  maintenance  and  operation  on  a 
safe,  economical,  and  business  basis  of  the  completed  work. 

Conditions  considered  in  comparison  of  30  and  21  feet  depth  of  chan¬ 
nels. — A  line  of  investigation  was  taken  up  by  the  United  States 
Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways,  and  approximate  compara¬ 
tive  estimates  authorized,  based  upon  the  following  propositions: 

First.  The  construction  of  a  30-foot  depth  of  channel  of  standard 
cross  section,  independent  of  the  Mohawk  River,  except  where  the 
same  is  canalized,  with  same  elevation  of  water  surface  in  the  canal 
and  river  and  rectifying  of  the  channel  of  said  river,  where  neces¬ 
sary,  to  carry  all  flood  discharges  of  the  same  and  of  all  water  courses 
entering  it. 

Second.  A  30-foot  depth  of  channel  of  such  increased  width  to 
carry  all  flood  discharges  in  the  valley,  with  a  velocity  of  flow  not 
exceeding  4  feet  per  second. 

Third.  A  21-foot  depth  of  channel  of  standard  cross  section,  under 
the  same  conditions  as  the  first  proposition. 

Fourth.  A  21-foot  depth  of  channel  of  standard  cross  section  not 
designed  to  carry  flood  waters,  and  wholly  independent  of  the  Mohawk 
River  except  where  crossing  the  same,  and  with  an  elevation  of  water 
surface  not  necessarily  conforming  to  that  of  the  river. 

Fifth.  A  21-foot  depth  of  channel  of  such  enlarged  width,  but  fixed 
depth,  to  carry  all  flood  discharges  in  the  valley,  utilizing  the  canal¬ 
ized  river  where  practicable. 

In  the  consideration  of  each  of  the  above  five  propositions,  the 
existence  of  the  present  Erie  Canal  was  not  taken  into  consideration, 
it  being  recognized  that,  prior  to  the  construction  of  a  ship  canal 
along  this  route,  an  understanding  would  have  to  be  arrived  at  and 
an  agreement  entered  into  between  the  General  Government  and  the 
State  of  New  York  as  to  the  disposition  of  this  waterway. 

First  proposition. — The  width  of  the  canal  prism  for  30-foot  depth 
at  the  water  line  is  343  feet  in  earth  section  and  256  feet  in  rock  sec¬ 
tion.  The  investigation  of  the  first  proposition  developed  the  fact 

H.  Doc.  149 - 34 


580 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


that  to  construct  a  canal  under  these  conditions  along  a  location 
within  the  limits  of  practical  and  economical  construction  would 
involve  the  contraction  of  the  present  channel  and  valley  of  the 
Mohawk  to  such  an  extent  by  reason  of  the  necessary  width  for  a 
canal  and  the  space  required  for  the  spoiling  of  excavated  material 
that  no  room  would  be  left  for  discharging  the  flood  waters  of  the 
valley.  It  would  be  wholly  impracticable  to  attempt  to  deposit  this 
excavated  material  outside  of  the  limits  of  the  river  valley. 

The  heavy  expense  incident  to  the  rectification  of  the  river  and  the 
safe  protection  of  the  banks  of  the  canal  from  the  effects  of  floods, 
together  with  the  heavy  costs  for  damages  to  the  manufacturing  enter¬ 
prises,  railroads,  etc.,  along  the  line,  resulting  from  unusual  or  unpre¬ 
cedented  raising  of  the  waters,  would  all  combine  to  render  this  prop¬ 
osition  neither  practicable  nor  economical  in  itself  or  in  comparison 
with  others. 

Second  proposition. — The  apparent  impracticability  of  the  first 
proposition  led  to  the  investigation  of  the  second  and  of  its  adoption 
for  the  30-foot  depth  of  channel  as  best  conforming  to  the  existing 
conditions  and  fulfilling  the  requirements  of  a  waterway  of  this 
magnitude.  A  compiling  and  careful  consideration  of  all  data  exist¬ 
ing  and  available  at  the  time  this  work  was  begun,  combined  with  all 
information  obtained  during  the  progress  of  these  surveys,  as  to  the 
flood  heights  and  discharges  along  the  Mohawk  Valley  and  the  water 
courses  tributary  thereto,  led  to  the  adoption  by  the  United  States 
Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways  of  the  sectional  areas  of  canal 
prisms  for  different  sections  of  the  work,  as  tabulated  further  on  in 
this  report,  starting  with  the  standard  bottom  width  for  earth  sec¬ 
tions  of  203  feet  and  for  rock  sections  of  250  feet,  and  attaining  a 
maximum  at  Schenectady,  where  the  bottom  widths  for  earth  and  rock 
sections  are  respectively  460  and  527  feet. 

Third  proposition. — An  approximate  estimate  based  on  the  third 
proposition,  compared  with  the  second,  developed  the  advantage  of 
each,  as  far  as  first  cost  of  construction  is  concerned,  the  amount 
depending  upon  the  cost  of  rock  excavation.  The  necessary  rectifi¬ 
cation  of  the  Mohawk  River  in  connection  with  the  third  plan  is  in 
itself  a  large  item  of  expense. 

Considering  this  from  about  3^  miles  below  Little  Falls  to  the 
entrance  of  Schoharie  Creek,  a  distance  of  about  31  miles,  we  find  the 
width  of  the  present  channel  of  the  river  at  high-water  stages  varies 
from  about  325  feet  at  the  upper  end  to  500  feet  at  the  lower  end. 
The  sectional  area  of  the  river  necessary  to  carry  the  flood  discharges 
along  this  distance  with  a  velocity  not  exceeding  4  feet  per  second 
requires  a  surface  width  of  from  350  to  500  feet  and  a  bottom  width 
of  from  229  to  382  feet,  according  to  the  estimated  flood  heights  at 
different  points,  the  depth  of  section  ranging  from  29  to  34  feet,  with 
an  average  of  about  30  feet.  From  the  above  it  will  be  seen  that  in 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


531 


the  rectification  of  this  river,  following  its  present  course,  we  have 
practically  constructed  a  channel  equal  in  depth  and  exceeding  in 
sectional  area  that  required  for  a  30-foot  canal  prism,  but,  of  course, 
with  an  alignment  impracticable  for  navigation  purposes.  It  is  self- 
evident,  from  an  inspection  of  the  maps,  that  it  is  more  economical 
construction  for  the  purposes  of  this  rectification  to  utilize  the  full 
width  of  the  river  and  increase  its  depth  rather  than  materially 
increase  the  width  beyond  the  limits  of  the  present  banks  and  diminish 
the  depth. 

An  estimate  based  upon  the  unit  price  of  1  cubic  yard  of  rock  exca¬ 
vation  being  equal  in  cost  to  4  cubic  yards  of  earth,  showed  this  sec¬ 
tion  of  about  31  miles  would  cost,  for  excavation  alone,  some  $400,000 
more  for  the  third  than  for  the  second  proposition,  but,  as  the  adop¬ 
tion  of  the  former  would  involve  the  construction  of  some  8  miles  of 
retaining  wall  with  an  average  height  of  about  16  feet  and  a  total  cost 
of  some  $600,000,  the  total  cost  of  the  third  proposition  would,  includ¬ 
ing  this  retaining  wall,  exceed  the  second  by  at  least  $1,000,000  for 
this  distance  of  31  miles. 

For  the  30-foot  channel  under  the  second  proposition  this  expen¬ 
sive  retaining  wall  would  be  replaced  by  slope  wall.  If  all  the  rock 
in  each  estimate  is  taken  at  a  unit  price  of  12  instead  of  4  times 
that  of  earth  on  the  basis  of  being  excavated  under  water,  as  the  case 
would  probably  be,  then  the  cost  of  construction  will  be  in  favor  of 
the  third  proposition  by  some  $1,500,000.  For  the  distance  of  about 
10  miles  to  Herkimer,  above  the  31  miles  estimated  upon,  the  two 
propositions  would,  perhaps,  not  differ  materially  in  cost,  and  for  the 
distance  from  Schoharie  Creek  to  Rotterdam  Junction,  where  the 
adopted  location  leaves  the  river  and  enters  the  Normans  Kill  route, 
a  distance  of  about  16  miles,  the  advantage  in  cost  would  probably  be 
in  favor  of  the  second  proposition.  Even  with  the  assumption,  which 
is  not  believed  to  be  true,  that  a  careful  comparative  estimate  of  the 
two  plans,  including  cost  of  structures  and  rights  of  way,  from  Her¬ 
kimer  to  Rotterdam  Junction,  a  distance  of  some  59  miles,  would  show 
that  the  third  proposition  is  cheaper  than  the  second  by  as  much  as 
$3,000,000  to  $5,000,000.  Even  this  amount  in  the  first  cost  of  a  work 
of  this  magnitude  and  importance  would  hardly  justify  the  construc¬ 
tion  of  a  21-foot  channel  with  a  rectified  river  in  preference  to  one  of 
30  feet  depth. 

Fourth  proposition. — The  fourth  proposition  involved  the  laying 
down  on  the  maps  of  a  location  purely  with  reference  to  a  21-foot 
canal  of  standard  cross  section;  that  is,  a  bottom  width  of  215  feet  for 
earth  sections  and  240  feet  for  rock  sections,  with  a  width  at  low-water 
line  of  319  and  244  feet,  respectively,  the  idea  being  not  to  improve 
or  rectify  the  present  channel  of  the  Mohawk  River  or  attempt  to 
control  its  flood  discharges  except  where  necessary  solely  for  the  con¬ 
struction  of  the  21-foot  navigable  channel.  This  location,  which  was 


532 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


considered  impracticable  and  is  not  shown  on  the  maps,  follows  the 
same  location  as  the  30-foot  canal  from  Herkimer  to  about  1^  miles 
east,  then  diverges  from  the  same  and  follows  along  the  bottom  land 
between  the  river  and  the  Erie  Canal,  entering  the  30-foot  canal  loca¬ 
tion  opposite  the  upper  dam  at  Little  Falls,  and  following  this  location 
to  about  3  miles  below.  Here  it  diverges  and  crosses  a  bend  in  the 
river  just  above  the  Rocky  Rift  Dam,  and  also  crosses  the  Erie  Canal 
above  and  below  Indian  Castle.  It  then  continues  between  the  river 
and  Erie  Canal  to  about  2^  miles  below  St.  Johnsville,  where  the  loca¬ 
tion  is  close  along  the  West  Shore  Railroad.  The  location  would  pass 
through  about  the  center  of  that  portion  of  Fort  Plain  between  the 
railroad  and  Erie  Canal. 

From  Fort  Plain  to  Canajoliarie  it  passes  along  between  the  Erie 
Canal  and  river,  cutting  out  a  small  section  of  the  Erie  Canal  at 
Canajoliarie,  and  continuing  east  close  along  the  north  side  of  said 
canal  to  Sprakers  and  entering  the  canalized  river  for  the  30-foot 
canal  where  the  valley  contracts  at  “The  Noses,”  about  1^  miles 
above  Yatesville.  From  this  point  it  follows  the  30-foot  location  for 
about  1  mile,  then  crosses  to  the  north  side  of  the  river  and  enters 
separate  canal  about  one-half  mile  below  Yatesville,  and  follows  close 
along  the  New  York  Central  Railroad  until  it  enters  30-foot  channel 
of  canalized  river  just  above  Schoharie  Creek  and  continues  east  in 
the  same. 

The  above  location  from  Herkimer  to  the  head  of  the  locks  at  Little 
Falls  would  have  a  low-water  surface  in  the  canal  of  365  and  a  bottom 
elevation  of  344  feet.  The  water  in  the  canal  and  river  would  be  the 
same  elevation  for  this  distance.  The  lock  of  11-foot  lift  and  the 
dam  with  a  weir  length  of  1,000  feet  at  Jacksonburg  would  not  be 
needed.  This  plan  would  require,  however,  the  diversion  of  the 
river  to  the  north  just  below  Jacksonburg  for  a  distance  of  about 
4,300  feet  and  also  above  Little  Falls  for  a  distance  of  about  2,700 
feet. 

No  estimate  was  made  for  this  portion  of  the  21-foot  channel,  as  it 
would  unquestionably  be  cheaper  than  the  30-foot  channel.  The 
sectional  area  of  the  30-foot  channel  for  this  distance,  the  standard 
bottom  width  being  retained,  would  have  a  depth  of  about  7  feet  in 
excess  of  that  necessary  to  provide  for  the  flood  discharges,  but,  on 
account  of  the  elevation  of  the  rock  surface  between  Herkimer  and 
Little  Falls,  it  was  found  to  be  more  economical  construction  to  retain 
the  standard  depth  of  21  feet  and  increase  the  bottom  width  about  50 
feet  to  carry  the  flood  waters  in  the  21-foot  channel  as  far  east  as 
Little  Falls. 

The  excavation  for  the  double-tandem  locks  at  Little  Falls,  being 
of  less  width  and  length,  would  be  cheaper  for  the  21-foot  than  the 
30-foot  canal,  as  would  also  the  section  from  the  foot  of  the  locks  to 
about  3^  miles  below  Little  Falls,  where  the  21-foot  canal  separates 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


533 


from  the  30-foot.  From  this  point  to  Schoharie  Creek,  a  distance  of 
about  31  miles,  a  comparative  estimate  was  made  between  the  fourth 
proposition  and  the  adopted  30-foot  channel,  second  proposition. 
This  estimate  embraced  the  necessary  double-face  and  retaining 
walls,  protection  of  slopes  on  the  river  side,  estimates  for  puddling, 
and  the  necessary  diversion  of  the  channel  of  the  Mohawk  River,  all 
of  which  are  not  required  for  the  30-foot  canal.  No  land  damages  or 
structures  were  included. 

The  adoption  of  this  line  would  involve  some  6  miles  of  river  diver¬ 
sion  at  different  points  along  the  line,  the  cutting  out  of  the  Erie  Canal 
for  about  2^  miles  just  below  St.  Johnsville  and  also  for  about  one -half 
mile  at  Canajoharie,  also  a  crossing  of  the  West  Shore  Railroad,  unless 
the  location  was  shifted,  about  1  mile  above  and  also  about  one-lialf 
mile  below  Fort  Plain.  Two  dams  would  have  to  be  constructed  to 
impound  the  waters  of  the  Mohawk,  one  near  the  present  Rocky  Rift 
dam,  the  crest  of  the  masonry  of  which  is  now  319  feet  elevation,  with 
a  weir  length  of  about  350  feet  and  a  crest  elevation  of  322  feet,  the 
other  (Station  6510)  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  below  Yatesville, 
with  a  weir  length  of  500  or  600  feet  and  a  crest  elevation  of  285  feet. 
Just  above  this  last  dam  the  canal  crosses  from  the  south  to  the  north 
side  of  the  river.  Five  locks  would  be  required ;  one  a  guard  lock  to 
regulate  the  low  water  in  the  canal  just  below  the  Rocky  Rift  dam, 
the  flood  height  on  this  dam  probably  at  times  attaining  an  elevation 
of  about  327  feet;  a  lock  with  a  lift  of  22  feet  near  Mindenville;  one 
with  a  lift  of  15  feet  (near  Station  6050)  about  1^  miles  above  Cana¬ 
joharie;  a  guard  lock  (about  Station  6510)  about  three-fourths  of  a 
mile  below  Yatesville  to  regulate  low  water  in  the  canal,  and  one  with 
a  lift  of  15  feet  just  above  Schoharie  Creek.  The  low- water  level  below 
this  last  lock,  where  the  21-foot  canal  enters  the  30-foot  canal,  would 
be  elevation  270.  Castle  Creek  enters  canal  at  Station  5394,  requiring 
spillway.  Otsquaga  Creek  enters  the  canal  at  Station  5950,  and  would 
require  a  spillway;  also  Canajoharie  Creek  at  5920,  requiring  spillway; 
Cayadutta  Creek  enters  at  Station  6710,  requiring  spillway. 

The  dams  for  the  30-foot  channel  at  Mindenville  900  feet  long,  at 
Palatine  Bridge  1,000  feet  long,  and  at  Fultonville  1,000  feet  long, 
would  not  be  required. 

About  14  of  the  31  miles  of  the  above  21 -foot  channel  would  have  a 
low- water  surface  ranging  from  4  to  17  feet,  and  an  average  of  10  feet 
above  low  water  in  the  river.  The  sides  and  bottom  of  the  canal  for 
the  greater  part  of  this  distance  being  in  sand  or  gravel,  will  require 
puddling,  estimate  for  which  is  included. 

The  item  of  excavation  alone,  based  upon  earth  at  a  unit  price  of 
15  cents  per  cubic  yard  and  rock  at  60  cents  per  cubic  yard,  shows  a 
difference  between  the  21-foot  and  30-foot  channels,  propositions  four 
and  two,  respectively,  of  some  $3, 980, 000  in  favor  of  the  21-foot  channel 
for  the  31  miles  from  about  3^  miles  below  Little  Falls  to  Schoharie 


534 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Creek.  The  estimate  for  this  distance  for  double  face  walls  between 
the  canal  and  the  river,  retaining  walls,  slope  walls,  embankments, 
and  puddling  (all  being  needed  for  the  21-foot  channel  but  not  for  the 
30-foot  channel)  shows  a  total  of  some  $4,529,000.  This  last  item  can¬ 
cels  the  above  amount  in  favor  of  the  21-foot  channel,  and  shows  a 
balance  of  $549,000,  the  difference  between  the  two  estimates,  in  f  ivor 
of  the  30-foot  channel. 

The  above  comparative  estimate  does  not  include  the  cost  of  two 
dams  for  the  21-foot  channel,  with  a  total  crest  length  of  about  900 
feet,  and  2  guard  locks  and  3  other  locks,  with  a  total  lift  of  52  feet. 
It  also  does  not  include  3  dams  for  the  30-foot  channel,  with  a  total 
crest  length  of  2,900  feet  and  3  locks,  with  a  total  lift  of  52  feet. 
These  items  of  first  cost,  if  added,  would  probably  still  leave  a  small 
balance  in  favor  of  the  30-foot  channel,  as  far  as  first  cost  of  con¬ 
struction  Is  concerned,  and  an  unquestionably  large  advantage  as  a 
navigable  waterway,  commensurate  with  an  enterprise  of  this  magni¬ 
tude  and  importance. 

Fifth  proposition. — Preliminary  estimates  showed  this  proposition 
was  probably  cheaper  than  the  second,  from  Herkimer  as  far  east  as 
the  “Little  Nose”  (Station  6390),  about  6^  miles  above  Fultonville. 

Final  estimates  proved  this. 

There  is  less  earth  excavation  by  some  2,700,000  cubic  yards,  and 
less  rock  excavation  by  some  5,700,000  cubic  yards,  and  the  total  cost 
is  less  by  some  $6,000,000  for  the  21-foot  than  30-foot  channel  for  this 
distance  of  about  30  miles.  Of  course  the  saving  in  cost  of  the  21- 
foot  channel  over  the  30-foot  will  be  greater  proportionally  for  the 
line  west  of  Herkimer  and  from  where  the  location  leaves  the  Mohawk 
and  follows  the  Normans  Kill  route. 

From  the  “Little  Nose”  eastward  to  Rotterdam,  where  the  Nor¬ 
mans  Kill  line  really  begins,  a  distance  of  about  26  miles,  the  21-foot 
channel  would  have  to  be  enlarged  for  width  and  depth  to  such  an 
extent  to  carry  the  flood  discharges  that  it  would  practically  coincide 
with  the  30-foot  channel. 

Niskayun a- Albany  Route,  via  Shakers. 

This  route  leaves  the  Oswego  route  proper  just  above  Niskayuna, 
and  extends  in  a  south  and  southeast  direction  across  country,  pass¬ 
ing  just  to  the  east  of  Shakers  Village  and  West  Albany,  and  enter¬ 
ing  the  Hudson  River  opposite  Bath,  about  1  mile  above  Albany,  N.  Y. 

A  preliminary  survey  was  made  of  this  line  on  December  16,  17, 
and  18,  1897,  from  the  Hudson  River  and  toward  Niskayuna,  it  being 
one  of  the  three  routes  examined  with  a  view  to  a  cross-country  cut¬ 
off  line  from  the  Mohawk  to  the  Hudson,  more  direct  and  probably 
cheaper  than  the  circuitous  route  via  the  Mohawk  River. 

This  line  was  surveyed  by  stadia,  the  needle  being  used  and  alter¬ 
nate  stations  being  occupied. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


535 


Later,  this  line  apparently  developing  possibilities  more  favorable 
than  the  line  previously  run  in  a  similar  manner  via  Town  House 
Corners,  a  more  detailed  survey  was  begun  of  the  route  in  December, 
1898,  with  a  view  to  its  development,  the  borings  up  to  that  time  indi¬ 
cating  favorable  conditions. 

The  notes  of  the  preliminary  survey  were  worked  up  and  an  approx¬ 
imate  canal  location  projected  and  profile  made  with  a  proposed  water 
surface  for  the  canal  of  elevation  about  195  above  datum  from  the 
Mohawk  to  within  about  2  miles  of  the  Hudson,  where  a  flight  of 
locks  descending  to  the  Hudson  would  begin.  This  line,  about  10 
miles  in  length,  would  involve  excavation  for  its  entire  length,  the 
maximum  depth  of  cut  on  the  flat  summit  being  about  155  feet,  and 
an  average  cutting  of  about  100  feet  for  some  6  miles. 

It  would  have  saved,  in  actual  distance  between  terminal  points, 
about  8  miles.  Borings  were  begun  on  this  line  the  latter  part  of 
November,  1898,  and  continued  until  latter  part  of  January,  1899. 
These  borings  developed  rock  for  lock  sites  within  practicable  depth 
at  the  Albany  end. 

Rock  was  also  encountered  in  the  borings  as  far  as  about  4  miles 
northwest  from  the  Hudson  at  depths  ranging  from  40  to  70  feet  below 
the  surface,  when  it  dipped  down  and  no  rock  was  found  between  this 
point  and  where  the  borings  were  stopped,  about  1  mile  north  of 
Shakers  Village,  at  depths  ranging  from  115  to  190  feet  below  the 
surface. 

The  material  overlying  the  rock  at  the  Albany  end,  and  for  about  4 
miles  going  northwest,  was  principally  sand  and  sand  and  gravel 
mixed,  with  some  blue  clay,  which  increased  going  northwestward. 
The  material  encountered  where  no  rock  was  found,  through  the  flat 
summit  at  Shakers  and  to  the  southeast  and  northwest  of  there,  was 
fine  sand  and  quicksand,  with  strata  of  blue  clay  in  some  of  the  bor¬ 
ings.  Strong  flowing  streams  of  water  were  encountered  in  several  of 
the  borings  on  this  summit  at  depths  of  over  100  feet  below  the  sur¬ 
face;  this  water  when  struck,  in  two  instances,  rising  to  the  surface, 
and  freely  flowing  from  the  borings  after  the  casing  was  drawn. 

Through  this  summit  cut  quicksand  over  100  feet  in  depth  was 
encountered,  and  it  was  this  condition  that  caused  the  abandonment 
of  this  line  and  the  stopping  of  all  detailed  surveys  and  maps  of  the 
same. 

Niskayun a- Albany  Route,  via  Town  House  Corners. 

This  route  leaves  the  Oswego  route  proper  just  above  Niskayuna 
and  extends  in  a  generally  southeast  direction  across  country,  passing 
through  Watervliet  Center  and  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  to  the 
south  of  Town  House  Corners,  thence  southeast  down  a  small  stream, 
crossing  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Railroad  and  entering  the  Hudson 
River  near  the  foot  of  Hillhouse  Island  and  about  3  miles  above 
Albany,  N.  Y. 


536 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


A  preliminary  stadia  survey,  similar  to  that  made  of  the  line  via 
Shakers,  was  made  of  this  line  on  November  24  and  25,  1897.  A  map 
of  the  same  was  made  and  a  canal  location  projected  thereon  and  pro¬ 
file  of  the  same  made.  Borings  were  begun  on  this  line  the  latter  part 
of  January,  1899,  and  continued  until  the  middle  of  February,  1899. 

A  proposed  water  surface  of  about  elevation  192  above  datum  was 
considered.  This  water  surface  extended  from  the  Mohawk  to  within 
about  3  miles  of  the  Hudson,  where  the  descent  to  the  river  by  locks 
began 

The  total  length  of  this  line  was  about  9  miles,  and  it  would  have 
saved  in  distance  between  terminal  points  about  miles. 

It  would  involve  excavation  for  the  entire  length  of  9  miles,  the 
average  depth  of  cutting  for  about  5£  miles  being  about  100  feet.  The 
summit  cut  was  about  140  feet.  About  3  miles  of  the  summit  cut 
would  have  been  rock  excavation,  the  surface  of  the  rock  being  from 
20  to  40  feet  below  the  surface,  as  indicated  by  borings  there. 

The  rock  dipped  down  rapidly  to  the  northwest  from  the  summit 
cut  at  the  highway  crossing  leading  to  Town  House  Corners,  and  at 
a  distance  of  2  miles  westward  of  above  point  the  borings  indicated 
no  rock  at  elevation  160  above  datum,  which  was  about  130  feet  below 
the  surface  of  the  ground  there. 

From  this  point  to  near  Watervliet  Center,  a  distance  of  about  1 
mile,  quicksand  was  struck  at  about  elevation  240  above  datum,  and 
continued  to  elevation  150,  which  was  as  far  as  the  borings  were  car¬ 
ried.  The  encountering  of  this  quicksand  caused  the  abandonment 
of  this  line  also. 

Schenectady-Cedar  Hill  Route. 

This  route,  as  first  considered,  was  intended  to  leave  the  Oswego 
route  proper  about  3  miles  above  Schenectady,  thence  follow  a  gen¬ 
erally  south  direction  across  country  for  about  6  miles,  passing 
through  the  summit  at  South  Schenectady  and  about  1^  miles  east  of 
Dunnsville,  where  the  head  of  the  valley  of  Normans  Kill  is  entered, 
thence  down  the  valley  of  this  stream  to  within  about  2  miles  north¬ 
west  of  Slingerlands,  there  leaving  the  Normans  Kill  and  passing 
through  the  western  outskirts  of  the  village  of  Slingerlands,  and  cross¬ 
ing  the  Albany  branch  of  the  West  Shore  Railroad  about  1  mile  to 
the  south  of  Wemple  Station,  and  entering  the  Hudson  River  just 
below  Cedar  Hill  Landing. 

A  preliminary  stadia  survey  of  this  line  was  made  during  the  last 
week  in  October  and  the  first  part  of  November,  1898.  A  map  and 
profile  were  drawn  with  a  view  to  a  preliminary  study  of  the  line,  and 
preliminary  borings  begun  about  the  middle  of  February,  1899,  on 
the  summit  at  South  Schenectady. 

The  first  intention  was  to  impound  the  waters  of  the  Mohawk  by  a 
dam  about  2  miles  above  Schenectady  to  elevation  225,  above  datum, 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


537 


and  carry  this  level  to  about  2£  miles  southeast  of  French  Mills,  where 
a  dam  and  lock  with  a  lift  of  about  20  feet  was  proposed;  from  this 
point  to  carry  a  water  level  of  205  through  the  summit  at  Slingerlands 
by  a  dam  of  about  100  feet  above  the  surface,  and  with  a  crest  length 
of  about  1,600  feet,  across  the  Normans  Kill  about  2  miles  northwest 
of  Slingerlands,  where  the  proposed  location  left  the  Normans  Kill. 

This  water  surface  of  elevation  205  was  to  be  carried  to  about  3 
miles  southeast  of  Slingerlands,  where  two  locks,  with  a  total  lift  of 
40  feet,  were  proposed.  From  this  point  a  water  surface  of  elevation 
165  was  to  be  carried  to  within  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  of  the 
West  Shore  Railroad  crossing,  where  it  was  proposed  to  begin  to  lock 
down  by  a  flight  of  locks  to  the  Hudson. 

Rock  was  found  within  practicable  depths  for  this  last  flight  of  locks 
and  also  for  the  two  locks  proposed  about  3  miles  southeast  of  Sling¬ 
erlands,  although  the  length  of  the  rock  surface  here  was  of  barely 
sufficient  length  for  two  locks  in  tandem,  and  it  was  the  only  rock 
developed  by  the  borings  on  this  line  from  the  last  flight  of  locks  to 
the  lock  about  24  miles  southeast  of  French  Mills. 

No  rock  was  found  for  the  high  dam,  about  100  feet  above  the  sur¬ 
face,  at  the  point  of  divergence  from  Normans  Kill,  and  it  was  this 
fact,  together  with  the  long  cut  through  the  Slingerlands  summit  of 
some  34  miles  with  an  average  depth  of  40  feet  through  blue  clay,  and 
the  large  area  flooded  by  the  high  dam,  that  led  to  the  abandonment 
of  this  line  and  the  examination  of  the  route  continuing  down  Nor¬ 
mans  Kill  to  the  Hudson  and  its  final  adoption  for  the  canal  location. 

Schenectady-Normans  Kill  Route. 

This  route,  as  first  authorized  for  consideration  bv  the  United  States 
Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways,  was  intended  to  leave  the 
Mohawk  at  the  same  point  as  the  Schenectady-Cedar  Mill  line,  but  it 
was  later  deemed  the  best  and  cheapest  construction  to  leave  the 
Oswego  Route  proper  by  separate  canal  at  Rotterdam  Junction  and 
pass  through  the  summit  at  South  Schenectady  with  a  water  surface 
of  240  instead  of  225.  With  this  exception  the  route  is  the  same  as 
described  for  the  Schenectady-Cedar  Hill  line  to  within  about  2  miles 
of  Slingerlands,  where,  instead  of  leaving  the  Normans  Kill  via  Sling¬ 
erlands  to  the  Hudson,  the  location  as  adopted  follows  down  the  val¬ 
ley  of  this  stream,  with  the  exception  of  several  points  of  land  cut 
through  to  its  entrance  into  the  Hudson  River  about  24  miles  below 
Albany. 

Fieldwork. — Preliminary  borings  as  taken  during  February,  March, 
and  April,  1899,  along  this  line,  indicating  favorable  conditions,  field 
work  was  resumed  in  the  spring  of  1899,  and  detailed  surveys  of  this 
route  begun. 

A  transit  and  level  party  combined  began  work  at  the  Mohawk  end 
of  the  route  on  April  17,  1899,  and  a  stadia  party  on  April  19,  follow- 


538 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


ing  the  transit  party.  These  surveys  involved  not  only  the  mapping 
of  the  line  of  location  as  shown  on  the  preliminary  map  made,  but 
also  in  a  general  way  a  large  area  probably  subject  to  overflow,  when 
the  line  was  later  to  be  considered  on  the  detail  maps  when  drawn. 
A  few  days  were  also  spent  in  obtaining  some  additional  data  found 
necessary  on  the  east  side  of  the  Mohawk  opposite  Cohoes  Falls,  and 
on  Van  Sehaicks  and  Green  islands.  All  the  surveys  were  completed 
on  June  1,  1899. 

Office  work. — The  reduction  of  the  field  notes  of  this  survey  were 
made  between  June  1  and  10,  at  Slingerlands,  N.  Y.,  where  the  office 
of  the  assistant  engineer  was  located,  and  the  force  then  disbanded. 
Four  assistants  were  transferred  to  the  Detroit  office  to  aid  the  force 
there  in  the  plotting  and  drawing  of  the  maps  of  this  route  and  the 
computing  of  the  estimates  of  quantities  then  in  progress. 

The  assistant  engineer,  as  instructed  by  the  Board,  remained  in  the 
field  to  direct  and  superintend  the  detail  borings  then  in  progress  on 
this  line,  and  which  were  completed  the  middle  of  July,  1899,  and 
also  to  direct  certain  additional  borings  at  proposed  dam  and  lock 
site  at  Fultonville,  Amsterdam,  Cranesville,  Rotterdam  Junction,  and 
for  the  dam  for  the  Normans  Kill  route  above  Schenectady.  These 
were  finished  about  August  1,  and  the  boring  parties  disbanded  and 
the  assistant  engineer  returned  to  Detroit. 

ARTIFICIAL  FEATURES. 

Railroads. — The  West  Shore  Railroad,  which  follows  down  the 
Mohawk  Valley  and  leaves  the  same  going  south  about  3  miles  above 
Schenectady,  crosses  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Railroad  at  right 
angles  at  South  Schenectady.  The  canal  location  for  this  route 
crosses  both  of  these  railroads  in  the  summit  cut  here  for  the  canal 
just  to  the  west  of  where  the  roads  cross. 

It  also  again  crosses  the  West  Shore  at  the  cut  through  the  hill  at 
French  Mills,  where  the  West  Shore  branch  to  the  New  York  Central 
Railroad  begins.  The  next  crossing  is  the  Susquehanna  division  of 
the  Delaware  and  Hudson,  where  this  road  now  crosses  the  Normans 
Kill,  about  1  mile  above  where  this  stream  enters  the  Hudson  River. 

The  canal  location  as  adopted  will  involve  a  change  in  location  of 
this  railroad  here,  which  is  estimated  for.  The  fifth  and  last  railroad 
crossing  will  be  just  before  entering  the  Hudson,  where  the  line 
crosses  the  Albany  branch  of  the  West  Shore  Railroad. 

Dams. — There  are  five  dams  across  the  Normans  Kill  along  this 
route.  The  first  of  these  is  about  800  feet  above  where  the  West 
Shore  Railroad  crosses  this  stream  at  French  Mills.  It  is  about  11 
feet  high,  with  a  crest  length  of  about  210  feet;  elevation  of  crest, 
238.5.  The  bed  of  the  stream  here  is  rock.  It  serves  to  supply  power 
by  mill-race  way  some  1,200  feet  in  length  to  a  gristmill  located  there. 
The  second  dam,  known  as  the  Henkle  dam,  is  about  500  feet  above 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


539 


the  highway  bridge  over  Normans  Kill  at  Normansville.  It  is  a  log 
dam  about  150  feet  in  length  and  with  a  crest  elevation  of  97.7. 

It  serves  to  form  slack  water  in  the  stream,  from  which  ice  is  cut  to 
supply  the  brewery  ice  houses  located  there.  The  third  dam,  known 
as  the  Harden  dam,  is  about  400  feet  below  the  bridge  at  Normans¬ 
ville.  It  is  a  log  dam  about  210  feet  in  length,  with  a  crest  elevation 
of  87.6.  It  serves  to  supply  power  by  a  wooden  penstock  to  a  small 
one-story  paper  mill,  about  200  feet  below  the  dam. 

The  fourth  dam  is  about  1,600  feet  above  the  highway  bridge  cross¬ 
ing  this  stream  at  Kenwood.  It  is  a  log  dam,  about  9  feet  high  and 
with  a  crest  length  of  about  190  feet;  elevation  of  crest,  67.7.  Power 
is  supplied  from  this  dam  by  means  of  a  turbine  wheel  located  there 
and  transmitted  by  wire  cable,  suspended  on  pulleys,  to  the  gristmill 
located  at  the  south  end  of  the  bridge  at  Kenwood. 

The  fifth  and  last  dam  across  this  stream  is  about  100  feet  above 
Kenwood  Bridge.  It  is  a  crib  dam,  about  16  feet  high,  with  a  crest 
length  of  about  160;  elevation  of  crest,  24.5.  It  formerly  supplied 
power  through  turbine  wheels  located  here  to  a  cotton  mill  at  the 
north  end  of  the  dam.  This  mill  was  recently  destroyed  by  fire  and 
has  not  been  rebuilt. 

Highway  crossings. — The  present  line  as  located  crosses  24  high¬ 
ways  from  the  Mohawk  to  the  Hudson.  This  number  could  easily  be 
reduced  without  serious  inconvenience  to  travel  to  13  by  the  con¬ 
struction  of  short  lengths  of  new  road. 

PHYSICAL  CHARACTERISTICS. 

Material — From  Rotterdam,  Junction  ( station  7755)  to  station  8083. — 
The  borings  indicate  no  rock  for  this  distance,  except  between  sta¬ 
tions  7905  and  7941,  a  distance  of  3,600  feet.  For  this  distance,  the 
lower  end  of  which  is  at  Lock  No.  24  of  the  Erie  Canal,  the  borings 
indicate  soft  shale  rock  at  about  elevation  190  above  datum  along  the 
south  bank  of  the  river. 

This  rock  outcrops  along  this  distance  in  the  bed  of  the  Erie  Canal, 
elevation  about  239,  also  along  the  steep  hillside  to  the  south  of  the 
Erie  Canal  above  Lock  No.  24,  but  dips  down  below  the  proposed  grade 
of  the  canal  to  the  south  of  Lock  No.  24,  and  does  not  appear  again 
until  it  outcrops  in  the  bed  of  the  small  stream  near  station  8033,  in 
the  mouth  of  the  ravine  heading  toward  South  Schenectady.  The 
material  for  this  distance  is  for  the  most  part  sand  and  sand  and 
gravel  mixed  with  strata  of  blue  clay  or  blue  clay  and  sand  mixed. 

The  point  of  land  cut  through  to  the  south  of  the  river,  where  the 
line  crosses  the  Fitchburg  Railroad,  is  mostly  blue  clay  underlying  a 
depth  of  about  15  feet  of  soil.  The  point  of  land  cut  through  to  the 
north  of  the  river,  just  below  the  Fitchburg  Bridge,  is  gravel  and 
cobblestones  underlaid  with  blue  clay  and  overlaid  with  about  20 
feet  of  soil. 


540 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


To  the  south  of  Lock  Xo.  24,  until  the  rock  outcrop  is  encountered 
at  about  station  8033,  the  material  is  for  the  most  part  sand,  with 
small  amounts  of  gravel  and  blue  clay. 

From  .station  8033 ,  about  1  mile  north  of  South  Schenectady ,  to  sta¬ 
tion  8Jfl7,  about  400  feet  beyond  the  West  Shore  Railroad  crossing  at 
French  Mills. — The  proposed  elevation  of  the  bottom  of  the  canal  for 
this  distance  is  210  feet  above  datum. 

The  elevation  of  the  summit  at  South  Schenectady  is  350.  For  the 
above  distance  of  7^  miles  from  stations  8033  to  8417  the  canal  is 
entirely  in  excavation.  Slate  rock  bedded  in  thin  horizontal  layers 
outcrops  at  the  beginning  of  this  section  in  the  bed  of  the  small 
stream  up  which  the  location  passes  and  also  along  its  banks. 

The  borings  indicate  rock  in  the  summit  cut  at  South  Schenectady 
at  a  depth  below  the  surface  of  about  25  feet,  sloping  down  rapidly  to 
the  north,  where  it  outcrops  in  the  bed  of  the  small  stream,  as  above 
stated. 

It  also  descends  rapidly  to  the  south  and  dips  down  below  the  grade 
of  the  canal  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  to  the  south  of  the  summit. 
The  material  overlying  this  rock  is,  on  the  summit,  black  and  yellow 
sand,  this  being  mixed  with  cobblestones  as  the  surface  of  the  rock 
is  approached. 

Southward  from  the  summit  to  where  the  rock  disappears  the  bor¬ 
ings  indicate  a  mixture  of  blue  clay  and  gravel,  which  was  very  diffi¬ 
cult  to  penetrate,  or  else  fine  black  sand  overlying  the  rock,  and, 
above  this,  sand  or  sand  and  gravel  mixed  to  the  surface. 

In  one  boring  at  the  south  end  of  the  rock  surface  a  belt  of  quick¬ 
sand  40  feet  in  depth  was  encountered,  but  the  elevation  of  the  bot¬ 
tom  of  this  was  75  feet  above  the  bed  of  the  canal,  the  cut  at  this 
point  being  about  130  feet.  The  borings  indicate  no  rock  from  about 
tliree-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of  the  summit  for  a  distance  of  about  3 
miles  going  south  (stations  8123  to  8263).  The  material  as  indicated 
for  this  distance  is  tine  black  and  yellow  sand,  in  places  mixed  with 
small  gravel,  with  thin  strata  of  sand  and  clay  or  sand  and  shale 
mixed.  The  average  cutting  for  this  distance  of  3  miles  is  about  85 
feet. 

From  station  8263,  about  3f  miles  south  of  the  summit,  to  French 
Mills,  rock  was  encountered  at  from  elevation  210,  the  bottom  of  the 
canal  here,  to  elevation  240,  except  in  the  bottom  land  .just  to  the 
north  and  south  of  the  high  point  of  land  cut  through  at  French  Mills, 
where  the  elevation  of  the  rock  surface  ranged  from  182  to  195. 

The  material  overlying  the  rock  and  extending  to  the  surface  for 
this  distance  is  coarse,  dark  sand  and  small  gravel  mixed  with  stiff, 
blue  clay  and  some  cobblestones,  and  penetration  through  the  same 
was  difficult  and  tedious.  This  material  is  characteristic  of  this  route 
as  far  east  as  station  8663,  which  is  at  the  highway  crossing  leading 
to  Voorheesville. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


541 


The  combined  ingredients  mentioned  above  form  a  hard,  compact 
mass,  and  yet  quite  different  from  the  cemented  gravel  outcropping 
in  places  along  the  Mohawk  Valley.  This  cemented  gravel  resisted 
attempts  to  crack  it  to  pieces  with  a  small  hammer,  and  formed  a 
mass  almost  equal  in  strength  to  the  best  concrete,  whereas  this 
material  could  be  shattered  with  a  sharp  blow  when  in  a  thoroughly 
dry  mass.  The  same  material  outcrops  in  steep  banks  at  the  sharp 
bend  in  Normans  Kill,  about  24  miles  southeast  of  French  Mills.  It 
stands  at  an  almost  perpendicular  slope  and  resists  erosion  to  a 
marked  degree  and  shows  no  tendency  to  slide. 

A  boring  in  the  point  of  land  cut  through  at  French  Mills  indicated 
soft  blue  and  j^ellow  clay  to  a  depth  of  75  feet  below  the  surface,  and 
beneath  this  about  20  feet  of  black  sand  and  clay  mixed. 

From  French  Mills  {station  8^17)  to  Highway  Crossing  to  Voor- 
heesville  {station  8663). — For  the  above  distance  of  4f  miles  there  is 
little  or  no  excavation,  the  bottom  land  of  the  Normans  Kill  being  at 
about  the  same  elevation  as  canal  bottom,  the  principal  exception 
being  about  24  miles  southeast  of  French  Mills,  where  the  location  is 
shifted  to  the  hill  to  the  south  of  the  stream  to  obtain  a  rock  founda¬ 
tion  for  the  locks  located  there.  Soft  slate  rock  outcrops  in  the  bed 
of  Normans  Kill  just  above  and  below  French  Mills;  also,  steep  slate 
cliffs  are  on  each  side  of  the  stream  there,  and  extend  along  the  west 
side  of  the  stream  for  a  distance  of  about  1  mile  below  French  Mills. 

This  rock  is  bedded  horizontally,  and  along  the  cliffs  above  referred 
to  strata  of  harder  rock  is  found  from  2  to  4  feet  in  thickness,  with 
soft  shale  above  and  below  the  same. 

The  borings  developed  rock  about  2  miles  below  French  Mills  at 
an  elevation  of  from  255  to  275  above  datum.  This  rock  surface 
was  barely  of  sufficient  length,  however,  for  the  location  of  one  lock. 
About  one-half  mile  below  this  place,  where  there  is  a  sharp  bend  in 
the  stream,  slate  rock  outcrops  in  thin  horizontal  layers  in  the  bed  of 
the  stream,  and  also  in  a  perpendicular  cliff  to  the  south  of  the 
stream.  The  borings  also  developed  rock  at  a  depth  of  from  120  to  165 
feet  above  datum  in  the  hill  to  the  south  of  the  sharp  bend  and  to 
the  south  of  the  stream.  This  is  the  last  rock  found  on  this  route 
to  within  about  1  mile  above  Normansville.  The  character  of  the 
material  from  French  Mills  to  station  8663  is  for  the  most  part  the 
same  as  that  found  for  3  miles  above  French  Mills,  which  is  sand  and 
small  gravel  mixed  with  blue  clay. 

From  station  8663  to  about  1  mile  above  Normansville  {station  8923). — 
The  borings  developed  no  rock  within  this  distance.  The  material  is 
blue  clay,  almost  entirely  free  from  all  grit,  and  is  characteristic  of 
the  above-mentioned  section.  It  is  also  found  as  far  east  as  the  Hud¬ 
son  River. 

Evidence  on  the  ground,  and  from  information  obtained  as  to  con¬ 
ditions  met  with  in  excavating  this  material  for  the  Delaware  and 


542 


DEEP  WATERWAY?. 


Hudson  Railroad  when  built,  would  indicate  that  this  blue  clay  has  a 
tendency  to  slide,  especially  where  springs  are  met  with.  I  think, 
however,  this  condition  can  in  a  measure  be  avoided  with  an  increase 
in  slope  and  proper  surface  drains  along  the  top  of  and  well  back  from 
cuts.  In  places  this  clay  was  soft,  but  the  borings  in  most  cases  indicate 
“  stiff,  blue  clay.”  It  molds  easily  in  the  hand;  is  when  wet  sticky, 
and  when  exposed  to  the  sun  becomes  very  hard,  and  can  be  shaved 
with  a  knife  in  a  manner  similar  to  chalk.  It  stood  up  well  in  most 
of  the  borings,  and  the  drill  rods  could  be  carried  down  through  the 
same  without  the  use  of  casing.  Along  the  banks  of  streams  it  pre¬ 
sents  a  hard  surface,  and  at  a  distance  has  the  appearance  of  soft 
shale  rock. 

From  station  8923  to  the  Hudson  River. — Soft  shale  rock  outcrops 
along  the  south  bank  of  Normans  Kill  at  the  beginning  of  this  sec¬ 
tion.  On  the  north  side  of  the  stream,  just  where  the  location  crosses, 
there  is  a  perpendicular  cliff  of  a  hard,  dark-colored  rock,  probably 
impregnated  with  iron.  This  character  of  rock  probably  extends 
through  this  hill  to  the  next  crossing  of  the  stream  (station  8953). 

From  this  point  down  the  stream  to  where  the  location  crosses  below 
Normansville  soft  shale  outcrops  on  both  sides  of  the  stream  and  in 
the  bed,  and  the  indications  are  this  will  be  the  character  of  the  rock 
encountered  opposite  to  and  just  below  Normansville. 

From  where  the  location  enters  the  deep  cut  just  below  the  crossing 
of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson  Railroad  to  Kenwood  the  indications  are 
the  excavation  will  be,  for  the  most  part  at  least,  through  a  hard  rock 
of  the  nature  of  a  limestone  conglomerate  similar  to  that  which  freely 
outcrops  in  steep  cliffs  above  Kenwood,  and  through  which  the  Dela¬ 
ware  and  Hudson  Railroad  has  made  a  deep  cut  here. 

This  harder  rock  probably  merges  into  and  is  stratified  with  shale 
rock,  approaching  Kenwood  and  from  there  to  the  Hudson,  as  shale 
outcrops  on  the  banks  of  the  stream  at  Kenwood,  and  also  the  hard 
rock  on  the  south  side  of  the  stream  here. 

The  material  overlying  the  rock  for  this  distance,  and  where  no  rock 
was  found,  is  almost  wholly  blue  clay,  similar  to  that  already  described. 
In  some  places  strata  of  yellow  clay  overlies  the  blue  clay. 

WATER  COURSES  AND  HIGH-WATER  MARKS. 

Normans  Kill,  by  which  this  route  is  designated,  is  the  principal 
water  course  encountered,  and  the  located  line,  as  adopted,  follows 
down  the  valley  of  the  same  for  about  two-thirds  its  length. 

It  has  several  tributaries  along  its  course. 

In  a  report  of  the  water  commissioners  to  the  Albany  common 
council  in  1891,  as  to  the  advisability  of  the  utilization  of  this  stream 
as  a  water  supply  for  the  city  of  Albany,  it  is  stated  the  catchment 
area  above  French  Mills  is  some  114  square  miles.  It  is  further  stated 
that  from  measurements  taken  in  February,  1891,  it  appears  that  the 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


543 


flow  then,  during  a  moderate  thaw,  was  at  the  rate  of  about  1,240 
cubic  feet  per  second.  I  presume  this  is  at  or  near  French  Mills. 
The  maximum  flood  height  on  the  Harden  Dam  at  Norman sville  is 
said  to  be  4  feet.  This  would  indicate  the  flood  discharge  here  is 
about  1,800  cubic  feet  per  second. 

The  maximum  flood  height  on  the  dam  just  above  the  highway 
crossing  at  Kenwood  is  said  to  be  8  feet,  indicating  a  discharge  of 
about  2,200  cubic  feet  per  second.  As  to  how  reliable  this  informa¬ 
tion  is  I  am  unable  to  state. 

CANAL  LOCATION  ALONG  THIS  ROUTE  AND  CONDITIONS  INFLUENCING 

ITS  SELECTION. 

As  a  result  of  the  borings  made  for  the  proposed  dam  above  Sche¬ 
nectady  to  impound  the  waters  of  the  Mohawk  for  this  line,  it  was 
found  this  dam,  with  a  crest  length  of  about  1,700  feet  and  an  eleva¬ 
tion  of  225,  with  about  5  feet  flood  height  on  the  crest,  would  have  to 
be  founded  at  its  south  end  on  a  top  strata  of  yellow  sand  and  clay  to 
a  depth  of  about  40  feet,  and  beneath  this  about  19  feet  of  quicksand 
overlying  blue  clay  and  sand. 

From  the  center  of  the  dam  about  to  its  north  end,  the  material 
was  coarse  sand  and  gravel  for  a  depth  of  about  20  feet  below  the  sur¬ 
face  and  beneath  this  70  feet  of  quicksand. 

This  condition,  together  with  the  fact  of  the  advisability  of  carry¬ 
ing  as  high  a  water  surface  as  possible  through  the  long  summit  cut  of 
rock  at  South  Schenectady,  led  to  the  abandonment  of  this  dam  above 
Schenectady,  and  the  carrying  of  a  water  surface  of  elevation  240 
through  this  summit,  which  is  the  elevation  of  the  crest  of  the  dam 
at  Rotterdam  Junction  and  the  location  of  a  guard  lock  there  to  reg¬ 
ulate  low  water  in  the  canal.  The  flood  height  as  estimated  on  this 
dam  will  be  about  7  feet.  Under  this  plan  the  Normans  Kill  location 
will  properly  begin  at  Rotterdam  Junction  by  separate  canal,  the 
river  being  rectified  below  this  place  until  the  location  leaves  the 
same,  the  canal  being  protected  and  separated  from  the  rectified  river 
by  a  wall.  This  wall  would  be  about  11,300  feet  in  length,  separated 
into  three  sections  of  2,000,  4,500,  and  4,800  feet,  respectively.  The 
first  two  sections  will  lie  founded  on  sand  and  gravel  and  a  liberal 
estimate  is  made,  including  proper  precautions  for  secure  and  safe 
construction  for  these  sections. 

The  last  section  of  4,800  feet  can  be  founded  on  a  rock  foundation 
with  the  exception  of  about  1,000  feet  at  the  lower  end,  the  surface  of 
the  rock  being  about  20  feet  below  the  bed  of  the  canal. 

Estimates  include  puddling  the  bottom  of  the  canal  and  the  side 
opposite  and  the  wall,  and  also  revetting  the  same,  as  the  low  water 
in  the  rectified  river  will  be  in  places  from  20  to  25  feet  below  the  sur¬ 
face  of  the  canal.  Additional  borings  necessary  previous  to  construc¬ 
tion  may  indicate  a  reduction  in  width  of  channel  along  this  4,800  feet 


544 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


above  referred  to  as  being  desirable  in  order  to  obtain  a  rock  footing 
at  a  less  depth  for  this  wall.  The  last  1,000  feet  where  no  rock  will 
probably  be  found  within  practicable  depth  will  be  located  without 
the  limits  of  the  present  river  channel,  a  secure  foundation  for  the 
same  being  estimated  for.* 1 

The  conditions  influencing  the  United  States  Board  of  Engineers  on 
Deep  Waterways  in  the  selection  of  this  route  via  the  Normans  Kill 
over  that  by  the  Mohawk  River  were  these:  It  is  is  shorter  bj^  11.9 
miles  between  terminal  points;  it  avoids  the  sharp  curvature  at  Rex- 
ford  Flats  and  Crescent,  and  the  general  alignment  is  better;  it  avoids 
a  provision  for  the  discharge  of  the  sewerage  from  Schenectady;  it 
avoids  drawbridges  at  Schenectady,  Cohoes,  and  Albany  for  passing 
the  New  York  Central  Railroad;  heavy  land  damages  for  property 
destroyed  at  the  Hudson  River  end  and  interference  with  the  vested 
water  rights  at  Cohoes  are  avoided.  Six  railroad  drawbridges  will  be 
required  on  the  Mohawk  line,  one  of  these  for  four  tracks  and  three 
for  double  tracks. 

'After  the  completion  of  Mr.  Howell's  report  the  junction  of  the  Normans  Kill 
cut-off  with  the  Mohawk  River  section  was  considered  by  the  Board  and  the  fol¬ 
lowing  plan  adopted: 

The  Rotterdam  Junction  dam  and  guard  lock  are  moved  downstream,  so  that 
the  Fitchburg  Railroad  crosses  the  lock  without  altering  the  alignment  of  the 
railroad.  This  change  reduces  the  length  of  the  bridge  without  adding  any 
obstructions  to  navigation.  With  the  lock  above  the  bridge,  as  originally  planned, 
owing  to  the  acute  angle  of  the  crossing  the  clear  opening  could  not  have  been 
more  than  100  feet.  As  the  lock  is  a  guard  lock  and  would  be  needed  only  for  a 
few  days  during  the  navigation  season,  this  plan  would  not  seriously  interfere 
with  the  railway  traffic.  The  dam  is  located  opposite  the  upper  end  of  the  guard 
lock  and  is  connected  with  the  lock  wall  and  with  the  high  ground  on  the  left  by 
embankments  strengthened  by  core  walls.  As  the  elevation  of  water  surface  in 
the  canal  and  river  is  to  be  the  same,  the  2,000  feet  of  wall  from  station  7771  to 
station  7791  will  not  be  needed. 

From  the  lower  end  of  the  guard-lock  station  7806  to  station  7910  the  canal  loca¬ 
tion  is  shifted  to  the  right  sufficiently  to  leave  a  space  about  100  feet  wide  between 
the  canal  and  river.  This  new  location  is  shown  as  an  alternate  line  on  plate 
29.  The  rectified  river  channel  from  station  7900  to  station  7960  has  also  been 
relocated.  The  new  channel  is  along  the  foot  of  the  hills  on  the  left  of  the  valley. 
This  change  leaves  a  space  of  about  600  feet  between  the  two  channels. 

These  changes  of  location  were  made  in  order  that  the  masonry  walls  from  7818 
to  7863  and  from  7905  to  7953  might  be  replaced  by  embankments.  It  is  proposed  to 
build  an  embankment  next  to  the  canal  50  feet  wide  on  top  with  side  slopes  of 

1  on  2.  The  embankment  is  to  be  built  5  feet  above  low  water  in  the  canal  and  is 
to  be  strengthened  by  core  walls  wherever  necessary.  The  space  between  the  levee 
and  the  river  channel  will  be  used  as  a  spoil  bank  and  will  be  filled  at  least  as  high 
as  the  top  of  the  former  from  the  waste  from  the  excavation.  The  river  face  of 
the  fill  is  to  be  protected  by  a  slope  wall. 

This  form  of  construction  reduces  the  estimated  cost  of  the  30-foot  channel  by 
82.126,207,  and  of  the  21-foot  channel  by  $2,570,398. 

Besides  reducing  the  cost  of  construction,  it  is  believed  that  the  substitution 
of  wide  embankments  for  the  high  masonry  walls  on  poor  foundations  adds  greatly 
to  the  safety  of  the  canal. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


545 


There  are  five  railroad  crossings  on  the  Normans  Kill  line,  two  of 
which  are  double  track.  Two  of  these  at  South  Schenectady  and  the 
one  at  French  Mills  can  have  fixed  spans. 

The  raising  of  the  Troy  and  Schenectady  Branch  of  the  New  York 
Central  Railroad  above  and  below  Niskayuna  for  the  Mohawk  line 
will  probably  offset  the  change  in  tracks  of  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
Railroad  above  Kenwood  for  the  Normans  Kill  line.  If  the  Erie  Canal 
is  considered  in  the  comparison  the  Normans  Kill  line  crosses  the  same 
above  Schenectady  at  about  the  same  water  level  and  avoids  interfer¬ 
ence  with  the  same  at  the  Rexford  Flats  and  Crescent  aqueducts. 
Nine  draw  spans  for  highway  crossings  are  required  for  the  Mohawk 
line,  wdiere  not  over  thirteen  and  probably  less  will  have  to  be  pro¬ 
vided  for  on  the  Normans  Kill  line.  Two  of  these  can  be  fixed  spans. 

The  Normans  Kill  line  is  shown  by  comparative  estimates  to  be 
about  '$20,000,000  cheaper  than  the  Mohawk  line,  exclusive  of  structures 
in  both  cases. 

;;0-FOOT  ADOPTED  CHANNEL. 

The  location  for  this  channel,  as  finally  adopted,  and  which  is  shown 
on  the  published  maps  and  profiles  of  this  route  accompanying  and 
forming  a  part  of  this  report,  follows  in  general  the  Mohawk  Valley 
from  Herkimer  to  Rotterdam  Junction,  where  it  leaves  the  Mohawk 
River  and  follows,  via  South  Schenectady,  the  Normans  Kill  route  to 
the  Hudson  River,  entering  the  same,  as  stated,  about  24  miles  below 
Albany,  N.  Y.  Its  total  length  is  81.75  miles. 

The  conditions  influencing  the  size  of  canal  prism  along  the  line  and 
its  enlargement  to  provide  for  carrying  the  estimated  flood  discharges 
are  questions  which  will  be  discussed  by  the  United  States  Board  of 
Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways  in  their  report.  The  width,  depth, 
and  serviceable  lengths  of  locks  for  large  and  small  chambers,  with 
arrangement  of  gates  and  operating  machinery,  will  also  be  discussed 
by  the  Board. 

The  estimated  cost  of  this  channel,  under  changes  in  railroads, 
includes  the  raising  of  the  New  York  Central  and  West  Shore  rail¬ 
roads  along  the  Mohawk  Valley,  wherever  necessary,  to  an  elevation 
of  base  of  rail  3  feet  above  the  estimated  flood  heights  on  all  dam 
crests.  Under  land  damages  are  included  right  of  way  for  canal 
prism  and  the  necessary  land  for  spoil  banks,  all  area  overflowed  or 
rendered  useless  by  such  overflow,  all  buildings  destroyed,  all  actual 
injury  to,  destruction  of,  or  interference  with  existing  water  rights,  or 
present  disposal  of  sewage  of  towns  or  cities  along  the  line. 

Water  supply. — This  question  is  not  discussed  in  this  report,  and  is 
left  to  others  whose  duty  it  was,  under  authority  from  the  United 
States  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways,  to  investigate  this 
question.  I  have  assumed  this  water  supply  as  furnished  for  either 
the  21-foot  or  30-foot  channel  at  Herkimer,  N.  Y.,  the  western  end  of  this 
division. 

H.  Doc.  149 


35 


546 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


Table  No.  4. — Canal  prism,  30-foot  channel. 


Location. 

Earth. 

Rock. 

From — 

To — 

Sec¬ 

tion. 

Bot¬ 

tom 

width. 

Sec¬ 

tion. 

Bot¬ 

tom 

width. 

Herkimer  (station  4789+92.) . 

East  Canada  Creek  (station 

Sq.feet. 

7,890 

Feet. 

203 

Sq.feet. 

7,500 

Feet. 

250 

East  Canada  Creek  (station 

5479+92). 

Mindenville  (station  5559  +92;... 

8, 520 

224 

8,790 

293 

5479  +92). 

Mindenville  i  station  5559+92)  .. 

Caroga  Creek  (station  5819+92). 

8, 520 

224 

8,490 

283 

C'aroga  Creek  (station  5819+92). 

Palatine  Bridge  (station  6036+ 

9, 000 

240 

9, 180 

306 

Palatine  Bridge  (station  6036+ 

“Little  Nose"  (station  6389+ 

9,000 

240 

8,640 

288 

"Little  Nose"  (station  6389+ 

Fultonville  (station  6680  +92) _ 

10,500 

290 

10,620 

354 

92). 

Fultonville  (station  6680  +92)  ... 

Schoharie  Creek  (station  6989+ 

10,500 

290 

9, 750 

325 

Schoharie  (station  6989+92) - 

92). 

Amsterdam  (station  7214  +92)... 

13,980 

406 

14, 400 

480 

Amsterdam  (station  7214+92)... 

Cranesville  (station  7453+45)  ... 

15,600 

460 

15,300 

510 

Cranesville  (station  7453+45) ... 

Rotterdam  Junction  (station 

15,60(1 

460 

15. 420 

514 

Rotterdam  .Junction  (station 

7732  +  30). 

Kenwood  (station  9059  +83) _ 

7,890 

203 

7,500 

250 

7732  +30). 

Kenwood  (station  9059+83) _ 

Hudson  River  (station  9106+19 ) . 

Irregular-shaped  basin  enter- 

ing  the  Hudson  River. 

Note.— In  the  above  table,  change  of  section  at  approach  to  and  leaving  locks  and  for  curves, 
where  necessary,  is  not  noted. 


Table  No.  5. — Dams  for  30-foot  and  21-foot  channels. 


Location. 

Station. 

Length 

of 

crest. 

Eleva¬ 
tion  of 
crest 
above 
datum. 

Height 
of  dam 
above 
river  or 
stream- 
bed. 

Character 

of 

structure. 

Foundation  and 
average  eleva¬ 
tion  of  rock  sur¬ 
face. 

Jacksonburg . . 

4935 

Feet. 

1,000 

Feet. 

376 

Feet. 

16 

Masonry . 

Rock . . . 

.350 

Little  Falls  _ _ _ 

5120 

5 

. do _ 

_ do  ... 

Mindenville  . 

5558 

900 

322 

20 

.  __  .do _ 

_ do . . . 

290 

Palatine  Bridge . . . 

6032 

1.000 

300 

20 

. do _ 

_ do  . . . 

270 

Fultonville  . . . . 

6676 

1,000 

285 

12 

. do ..  . 

_ do ... 

a212 

Amsterdam  .  .. . 

7210 

850 

270 

20 

. do _ 

_ do _ 

226 

Cranesville . . 

7453 

1,000 

255 

20 

. do _ 

Pile  foul 

idation. 

Rotterdam  Junction . 

7753 

1,100 

250 

240 

22 

. do _ 

Do. 

French  Mills . 

8418 

240 

13 

. do _ 

Rock  . . . 

‘>>7 

8510 

350 

225 

50 

. do _ 

_ do ... 

150 

8548 

550 

205 

50 

. do _ 

...do ... 

120 

Above  Normansville 

8931 

6(H) 

75 

_ do _ 

_ do . . 

110 

Above  Kenwood . 

9027 

400 

1031 

48 

. do - 

—  do ... 

70 

a  Pile  foundation. 


The  dam  at  Fultonville  (station  0676)  in  order  to  obtain  a  rock  foot¬ 
ing-,  would  necessitate  the  carrying  of  the  foundation  about  60  feet 
below  the  river  bed. 

The  material  here  on  the  south  end  of  the  dam  and  south  side  of 
the  river  is  a  belt  of  yellow  clay  for  9  feet  below  the  surface,  underlaid 
by  fine  sand  and  sand  and  clay  mixed  for  a  depth  of  about  24  feet, 
and  beneath  this  about  10  feet  of  blue  clay,  overlying  gravel  and 
bowlders  down  to  elevation  230,  at  which  deptli  no  rock  was  struck. 
On  the  north  shore  of  the  river  rock  was  encountered  at  elevation  211, 
the  material  passed  through  being  sand  and  sand  and  clay  mixed, 
with  about  6  feet  of  gravel  on  top  of  the  rock. 


547 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  elevation  of  the  rock  next  to  the  New  York  Central  Railroad 
is  245. 

The  borings  for  the  dam  at  Amsterdam  (station  7210)  developed 
rock  about  halfway  across  the  dam  from  the  north  end  at  elevation 
about  200.  For  the  south  half  no  rock  was  found  at  elevation  174. 

The  material  is  for  the  most  part  sand,  gravel,  and  bowlders. 

The  borings  for  the  dam  at  Cranesville  (station  7453)  developed 
rock  in  only  one  boring  at  elevation  170. 

The  material  here  is  sand,  gravel,  and  bowlders,  with  thin  strata  of 
blue  clay  and  hardpan. 

The  dam  at  Rotterdam  (station  7753)  will  have  to  be  founded  on 
sand  and  sand  and  gravel  mixed  down  to  elevation  about  210,  and 
beneath  this  blue  clay  and  sand  mixed  for  about  50  feet,  at  least. 


Table  No.  6. — Locks  for  30-foot  and  31-foot  channels. 


Location. 

Kind. 

Length 

of 

level. 

Character  of 
foundation 

N  umber. 

Place. 

Station 
at  cen¬ 
ter  of 
lock. 

Single 

or 

double. 

Individual 
or  in  flight. 

Lift. 

Total 

lift. 

30-foot 

chan¬ 

nel. 

21-foot 

chan¬ 

nel. 

11 _ 

Jacksonburg  ... 

4940 

Single . . 

Individual . 

Feet. 

11 

Feet. 

11 

Miles. 

4.2 

Rock  . 

Rock. 

12,13 _ 

Little  Falls _ 

5165 

Double. 

Flight _ 

21.5 

43 

7.  ti 

...  do  . . . 

Do. 

14 . 

Mindenville _ 

5563 

Single. .. 

Individual 

22 

22 

9 

...do... 

Do. 

15 . 

Palatine  Bridge 
Fulton  ville . 

6037 

_ do . . . 

....  do .  ... 

15 

12  2 

Do 

16 . 

6680 

_ do . . . 

. .  do  . . 

15 

15 

10  1 

do 

17 _ 

Amsterdam _ 

7215 

...  do ... 

_ .do . 

15 

15 

4.  i) 

..  do ... 

Rock. 

18 _ 

Cranesville  _ 

7459 

_ do _ 

. do . 

15 

15 

Pile  . . . 
do  _ 

Pile 

19 _ 

Rotterdam 

7751 

_ do .. . 

. do . 

Guar< 

1  lock. 

Do. 

20 . . 

Junction. 
French  Mills  . . . 

8406 

_ do 

. do . 

15 

15 

17.9 

Rock . . 

Rock. 

21... . 

Normans  Kill 

8511 

_ do . . . 

_ do . 

20 

20 

9 

...do... 

Pile. 

22  23 

line. 

8555 

Double 

Flight 

20 

20. 5 

40 

61.5 

0. 8 
7. 5 

...do... 

. .  .do  . . . 

Rock. 

Do. 

24, 25.  26  . 

. do . . 

8955 

- do  ... 

_ do . 

27, 28.  29, 

. do . 

9040 

_ do . . . 

_ do . 

a  20.  7 

103. 5 

1.4 

..  .do ... 

Do. 

30,31. 

Total . 

376 

a  This  lift  is  taken  at  20.7  to  provide  for  a  possible  minimum  low  water  at  the  lower  end  of 
lock. 


COST  OF  LOCKS. 


No.  of  lock. 


11 . 

12,13_ . 

14. . - . 

15- . . 

15 . . . . 

17 . . 

13. . 

19  . . 

20  . . . . 

21. . . . 

22,23 . . . 

24,25.26... . 

27,28,29,30,31. . 

Total _  . 

Operating  machinery 

Total . 


.  30-foot 
channel. 

21-foot 

channel. 

Operating 

macliin 

ery. 

§912, 926 

$560, 968 

$100,000 

3,571,594 

2, 434, 589 

175,000 

1,123,687 

684,348 

100, 000 

1 , 010, 095 

615, 861 

100,000 

1,015,283 

721,484 

100,000 

1,062,977 

648, 475 

100,000 

1 , 245. 321 

765, 818 

100,000 

965. 777 

629, 650 

100,000 

884, 446 

577, 209 

100,000 

966, 258 

728, 626 

loo,  i  hx) 

3,114,687 

2, 172, 165 

175,000 

4,720,697 

3, 065, 295 

225, 000 

7,445.609 

4, 533. 769 

,350. 000 

28,039,357 

18,  LIS,  257 

1,825,000 

1,825,000 

1,825,000 

29, 864, 357 

19,963,257 

Note. — Lift  of  locks  as  given  is  for  low-water  level. 


548 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  elevation  of  the  rock  above  the  lock  at  Cranesville  (station 
7459)  is  about  170,  and  below  the  same  about  208,  as  indicated  by  the 
borings. 

The  material  is  of  about  the  same  nature  as  for  the  dam  here. 
Then*  is  no  rock  for  the  lock  at  Rotterdam  Junction  (station  7751). 
The  material  is  t lie  same  as  that  described  for  the  dam  here. 

Table  No.  7. — Bridges. 

OSWEGO- MOHAWK  ROUTE,  EASTERN  DIVISION. 


Sta¬ 

tion. 

Location. 

Kind  of 
bridge. 

1  Number 
|  of  tracks. 

Swing 
or  fixed. 

& 
k  c 

S  a 

5  rJ} 

£  c 

30-foot  channel. 

21-foot  channel. 

Total 

length. 

Esti¬ 

mated 

cost. 

Total 

length. 

Esti¬ 

mated 

cost. 

:» i :  ;:> 

Highway- 

Swing 

i 

545 

§67, 862 

525 

$66, 382 

do  . 

. do _ 

....do... 

i 

545 

105,868 

525 

90.666 

5651) 

St.  Johns ville . . 

_ _  .do _ 

_ do . . . 

i 

545 

72, 572 

525 

71.092 

5948 

Fort  Plain 

..  .do _ 

_ do . . 

i 

545 

92, 250 

525 

90, 770 

6115 

Canojarliarie . 

. do _ 

_ do ... 

i 

545 

71,834 

525 

70. 354 

Fonda  . 

_  .do _ 

_ do .. 

i 

545 

108, 220 

525 

90. 344 

6982 

Fort  Hunter  . 

. do  _ . 

_ do  . 

i 

545 

113i 442 

525 

111.962 

7260 

Amsterdam . . _ 

. . .do  . . 

_ do _ 

i 

545 

149. 962 

525 

148.482 

7661 

Hoffmans  Ferry . 

Railway  . 

2 

_ do . .. 

i 

550 

275,539 

530 

263, 249 

7804 

Rotterdam  J  unction 

. do _ 

i 

_ do 

i 

463 

87.  ail 

423 

75,512 

8020 

High  wav  - 

_ do  . . . 

i 

545 

97. 106 

525 

81,090 

8071 

South  Schenectady  . 

Railway  . 

9 

Fixed  .. 

i 

600 

307, 342 

580 

287,712 

8085 

. . .do  . . 

._  do  . .  - 

1 

.  do 

i 

375 

81.078 

363 

SI  (88 

. .  .do . 

Highway. 

_ do _ 

i 

315 

40.784 

305 

39. 940 

8195 

. do _ 

Swing. 

i 

545 

97, 106 

525 

81,090 

8302 

_ do _ 

_ do . . . 

i 

545 

64, 104 

525 

59.320 

8413 

French  Mills . 

Railway  . 

1 

Fixed  .. 

i 

260 

39, 412 

250 

37. 057 

8414 

_ do . . 

Highway. 

_ do _ 

i 

260 

23, 394 

250 

22.711 

8485 

_ do  ... 

Swing. . 

i 

545 

97, 106 

525 

81,090 

_ do _ 

_ do . . 

i 

545 

97,106 

525 

81,090 

_  do _ 

_ do _ 

i 

545 

97, 106 

525 

81.090 

8813 

_ do _ 

_ do _ 

i 

•  545 

97,106 

525 

81,090 

8960 

Normans  ville . 

_ do _ 

_ do  . . . 

2 

335 

20, 476 

296 

17, 140 

901 1 

Railway  . 

l 

_ do . .. 

1 

5371 

141,938 

5174 

120,300 

9(141 

Kenwood . . 

Highway. 

..  do . . . 

1 

235 

15, 946 

196 

12,610 

9058 

. do _ _ 

Railway  . 

l 

- . .  do . . . 

1 

228 

21,773 

197 

17. 215 

Normans  Kill  a. . 

Highway 

Fixed  . . 

1 

100 

4,810 

100 

4.810 

4275 

Kenwood  a . . 

Railway  . 

i 

_ do  . . 

1 

150 

12. 234 

150 

12,234 

Hoffmans  Ferry« 

20,000 

20,000 

(steam  ferry). 

Total _ 

2,520,807 

2,293.040 

a  Bridges  not  over  canal. 

Feet  clear 
opening. 

Highway  bridges . . .  22 

Single-track  railway  bridges . .  .  14 

Double-track  railway  bridges .  . . . . . . 26 


21-FOOT  ADOPTED  CHANNEL. 

The  location  as  adopted  for  this  channel  is  the  same  as  that 
described  for  the  30-foot  channel,  and  its  total  length  is  the  same. 
'I'lie  same  statements  made  for  the  30-foot  channel,  as  to  the  size  of 
prism,  locks,  and  estimated  costs  for  change  of  railroads  and  land 
damages,  apply  also  to  this  channel. 

The  alignment  is  the  same  for  this  channel  as  for  the  30-foot 
channel. 

The  two  channels  are  the  same  for  depth  and  sectional  area  from 
the  “Little  Nose”  (station  6389  +  92)  to  the  head  of  the  lock  at  Rot¬ 
terdam  Junction,  which  is  the  beginning  of  the  Normans  Kill  line, 
for  the  reasons  already  stated  in  this  report. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


549 


Table  No.  8. — Canal  prism  21-foot  channel. 


Location. 

Earth. 

Rock. 

From — 

To— 

Sec¬ 

tion. 

Bottom 

width. 

Sec¬ 

tion. 

Bottom 

width. 

Herkimer  (station  4789+92) _ 

West  Canada  Creek  (station 

Sq.feet. 
5, 397 

Feet. 

215 

Sq.feet. 
5. 040 

Feat. 

240 

West  Canada  Creek  (station 

4849+92). 

Jacksonburg  Creek  (station 

7,014 

292 

7,098 

338 

4849+92). 

Jacksonburg  (station  49.28+92)-- 

4938  +92). 

Little  Falls  Creek  (station 

6,489 

267 

6, 552 

312 

Little  Falls  (station  5119+92) . . 

5119+92). 

Little  Falls  Creek  i  station 

5, 397 

215 

5, 040 

240 

Little  Falls  (station  5161+92) ... 

5161+92). 

East  Canada  Creek  ( station 

6,489 

267 

6, 552 

312 

East  Canada  Creek  (station 

.5479  +  92). 

Mindenville  (station  5561+92)  .. 

8,043 

341 

8, 190 

390 

5479+92). 

Mindenville  (station  5561+92)  .. 

Garoga  Creek  (station  5819+92). 

7,623 

321 

7, 665 

365 

Garoga  Creek  (station 5819  +92). 

Palatine  Bridge  (station  6035+ 

8,526 

364 

8, 526 

406 

Palatine  Bridge  (station  6085+ 
92). 

Little  Nose  (station  6389  +92) ... 

Little  Nose  (station  6389  +92)  ... 

7,791 

329 

7.812 

372 

Fultonville  (station  6680+92)  .  .. 

10,500 

290 

10, 620 

354 

Fnltonville  (station 6680  +92) _ 

Schoharie  Creek  (station  6989+ 

10, 500 

290 

9.750 

325 

Schoharie  Creek  (station  6989+ 
92). 

Amsterdam  (station  7214+92)  .. 

Amsterdam  (station  7214+92)... 

13,980 

406 

14, 400 

480 

Cranesville  (station  7453  +45)... 

15, 600 

460 

15, 300 

510 

Cranesville  (station  7453  +  45)  ... 

Rotterdam  Junction  (station 

15,600 

460 

15, 420 

514 

Rotterdam  Junction  (station 

7732  +  30). 

Kenwood  (station  9052  +53) _ 

5,397 

215 

5,040 

240 

i  i  32-b30 ) . 

Kenwood  (station  9052+53) . 

(Station  9106+19) . 

Irregular  shaped  basin  enter¬ 
ing  Hudson  River. 

Ill  the  above  table  change  of  section  at  approach  to  and  leaving 
locks,  and  for  curves  where  necessary,  is  not  noted. 

The  canal  prism  is  the  same  for  this  channel  as  for  the  30-foot 
channel  from  station  6389  +  92  to  station  7732+30. 

Dams. — Table  No.  5,  as  given  for  30-foot  channel,  also  applies  to 
this  channel. 

Larks. — Table  No.  6  includes  the  locks  on  the  21 -foot  channel. 

At  Fulton ville  (station  6680)  the  rock  for  the  lock  for  this  channel 
is  about  15  feet  below  the  bottom  of  the  foundation.  The  material  is 
clay  and  fine  sand,  loosely  mixed  for  about  30  feet  below  the  surface, 
overlying  about  10  to  20  feet  of  soft,  blue  clay,  and  beneath  this  sand, 
gravel,  and  bowlders  extending  to  the  rock  surface  at  elevation  about 

229 

There  is  no  rock  for  the  lock  at  Cranesville  (station  7458).  The 
material  is  sand,  gravel,  and  bowlders,  with  thin  strata  of  blue  clay 
and  hardpan.  The  material  at  Rotterdam  Junction  (station  7751)  for 
the  lock  is  the  same  as  that  described  for  the  dam  there. 

The  borings  indicate  rock  at  about  the  elevation  of  the  bottom  of 
the  foundation  in  the  center  of  the  lock  at  station  8511,  but  the  rock 
is  about  17  feet  below  the  same  at  its  west  end  and  about  60  feet 
below  at  its  east  end. 

The  material  is  for  the  most  part  blue  clay  and  gravel  mixed,  and 
is  hard. 

Bridges ,  railroad  and  highway. — The  table  for  the  above,  as  given 
for  30-foot  channel,  also  applies  to  this  channel. 


550 


DEEP  WATERWAYS, 


Table  No.  9. — Oswego- Mohairk  route ,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  30-foot  channel. 

SECTION  NO.  1  (STATION  4789  +  91.5  TO  4848  +  00),  FROM  HERKIMER  TO  1}  MILES 

EAST  OF  HERKIMER. 


Quantity,  j 

Total. 

Excavation : 

Gravel . . cubic  vards. . 

Sand . . . . . . do 

Earth  . . . . do 

Right  of  wav,  farm  land . . . . . acres.. 

Entrance  of  streams,  submerged  weirs.. . 

1,211,024 
725, 897 
725, 896 
189 

$0. 18 
.18 
.18 

100.00 

$217, 984 
130, 661 
130, 661 
18, 900 
2.352 
34,873 

Slope  wall . square  yards. 

Total . . . . . . . . 

31, 703 

1.10 

535,431 

SECTION  NO.  2  (STATION  4848  TO  STATION  5118),  FROM  H  MILES  EAST  OF 

HERKLMER  TO  LITTLE  FALLS. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  quartzite,  wet. . 

Rock,  quartzite,  dry . . 

Rock,  quartzite,  artificially  dry 

Clay . . . 

Gravel . 

Sand . . . 

Earth . 

Diversion  and  levees . . . . 

Right  of  way: 

Farm  land . . 

Town  land . . . 

Railroad  changes . 

Retaining  wall.. . . . 

Slope  wall.. . 

Back  fill . . . . 

Timber  cribs: 

Oak . . . . 

Hemlock . . 

Pine . . . 

Stone  fill . 

Iron  bolts . 

Lock  No.  11 . . . . . 

Operating  machinery.. . 

Dams: 

Concrete,  dam  and  wing . 

Concrete,  core  wall. . 

Excavation,  earth . 

Embankment . . 

Cofferdam . 

Total.  . . . 


cubic  yards. . 


295, 951 


$2.50 


854, 600 

..do _ 

709, 818 

...do _ 

988, 104 

..  do _ 

861,281 

...do _ 

3, 504, 267 

--.do _ 

1,630,330 

.75 

1.00 

.18 

.18 

.18 

.18 


8729, 878 
640, 950 
709,818 
177,859 
155,031 
630,  768 
293, 459 
85, 000 


. acres.. 

. do _ 

. miles.. 

..cubic  yards., 
square  yards. . 
.  cubic  yards.  . 


868 

5 

3.05 
270,271 
42, 584 
759,282 


100. 00 
14, 286. 00 


4. 00 

1.10 

.25 


86, 800 
71,430 
23,851 
1,081,084 
46,842 
189, 821 


...  feet  B.  M._ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

cubic  yards .. 
. pounds.. 


103,440 
7,267,067 
3,060,093 
122. 640 
852, 013 


a  50. 00 
a  23.  00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 


5, 172 
167. 143 
91,803 
73,584 
25, 560 
912,926 
100, 000 


cubic  yards. . 

_ do _ 

. do _ 

. ...do _ 


21,606 
10, 000 
53, 630 
45, 750 


129. 636 
45, 000 
9. 653 
6, 863 


6. 00 
4.50 

.18 

.15 


12, 800 
6,512, 731 


SECTION  NO.  3  (STATION  5118  TO  STATION  5175),  LITTLE  FALLS. 


Excavation,  rock  quartsite,  dry _ _ _ cubic  yards.. 

Right  of  way: 

Farmland . . . acres _ 

Town  land . do _ 

Retaining  wall . . . . . cubic  yards.. 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . feet  B.  M.. 

Hemlock . do _ 

Pine . do _ 

Stone  fill . . .  cubic  yards . . 

Iron  bolts.. . pounds.. 

Locks  Nos.  12  and  13 . . . . . . 

2,324,504 

47 

37 

44,811 

19, 200 
1,000,000 
378,  400 
16,380 
137, 660 

$0. 75 

100.00 
22, 124. 00 
4.00 

a  50. 00 
a  23. 50 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 

$'1,743,378 

4,700 
818, 588 
179,244 

960 
23,000 
11,, 352 
9,828 
4,130 
3,571,594 
175,000 

30,900 
1.190 
27.030 
67, 862 

Operating  machinery .  . . . . 

Dams: 

Concrete,  dam  and  wing  walls . cubic  yards. . 

Excavation,  earth . . . . do _ 

Cofferdams . . . 

5,150 
6, 610 

6.00 

.18 

Bridge . . . . 

1 

Total . . . 

6,668,726 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


551 


Table  No.  9. — Oswego-MohawJc  route,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  30-foot  channel — Continued. 

SECTION'  NO.  4  (STATION  5175  TO  STATION  5260),  FROM  LITTLE  FALLS  TO  THREE- 
FOURTHS  OF  A  MILE  BELOW  SUSPENSION  BRIDC4E. 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Excavation: 

Rock,  hard,  artificially  dry . cubic  yards.. 

Sand . . . . . . . do _ 

Diversions  and  levees . . . 

128, 721 
2,013,232 

$1.00 

.18 

$128,721 
362, 382 
10,000 
29,300 
56, 244 
9, 288 

1,752 
79, 954 
29,065 
33, 504 
11,781 
105,868 

Right  of  way,  farm  land . . . acres. . 

Slope  wall . . . . .  ..square  yards.. 

Back  fill . . . cubic  yards.. 

Timber  crib: 

Oak - .’ .  . feet  B.  M. . 

Hemlock . do _ 

Pine .  do _ 

Stone  fill . . cubic  yards  . 

Iron  bolts.. . pounds.. 

Bridge . 

293 
51, 131 
37, 152 

35,040 
3, 476, 260 
968,  820 
55, 840 
392, 695 

1 

100. 00 
1. 10 
.25 

a  50. 00 
a  23. 00 
a30.00 
.60 
.03 

Total  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

857, 859 

SECTION  NO.  5  (STATION  5260  TO  STATION  5651),  FROM  THREE-FOURTHS  OF  A  MILE 
BELOW  SUSPENSION  BRIDGE  TO  ST.  JOHNSVILLE. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  dry . 

Rock,  artificially  dry . 

Clay . 

Gravel . 

Sand . . 

Earth . . . 

For  lock  at  additional  price: 

Earth  . 

Rock  . . 

Diversion  and  levees. . 

Right  of  way,  farm  land . 

Railroad  changes . . . 

Entrance  of  streams,  submerged  weirs 

Retaining  wall .  . 

Slope  wall . 

Back  fill . 

Timber  cribs: 

Oak . . 

Hemlock . . 

Pine . 

Stone  fill . . . 

Iron  bolts . 

Lock  No.  14 . 

Operating  machinery . 

Dam : 

Concrete . 

Excavation,  earth . - . 

Cofferdam . 

Bridge . . 

Total . . 


cubic  yards 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 


1,585,022 
2, 109,283 
251,776 
1,815,080 
4,622,108 
1,519,296 


$0.65 

$1,030,264 

.  75 

1,581,962 

.  18 

45,320 

.18 

323, 714 

.18 

831.979 

.18 

273, 473 

do.... 

do.... 


acres.. 

miles.. 


..cubic  yards., 
square  yards. . 
..cubic  yards.. 


255.  707 

.32 

185,593 

.50 

2,200 

100. (Ml 

4.22 

327,  737 

4.09 

81.492 

1.10 

537, 086 

.2b 

81,862 
92,  797 
200,000 
220, 000 
73, 795 
2,006 
1,310,948 
89,641 
134,272 


...  feet  B.M.. 

. . do _ 

. . do _ 

cubic  yards.. 
_ pounds.  . 


83,040  1  a  50. 00  j 
5,970,360  « 23.90 

1,763,200  a  30. 00 
100,350  I  .60  i 

668,886  |  .03  I 


4, 152 
137,318 
52. 896 
60, 210 
20,067 
1,123,687 
100,000 


cubic  yards.. 
. .  do  ... 


35,960  1  6.00 

68, 944  i  .  50 


1 


8, 


215, 760 
34,  472 
20.090 
72, 572 


136, 131 


SECTION  NO.  6  (STATION  5651  TO  STATION  6103),  FROM  ST.  JOHNSVILLE  TO 

CANAJOHARIE. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  wet.. . - 

591,155 

$2.00 

$1,182, 310 

Rock,  drv . 

. do _ 

595, 185 

.  65 

386,870 

Rock,  artificially  drv . . 

. do  — 

1, 144,. 352 

.  75 

1,083,264 

Clay . . . 

. . —  do _ 

1,128,556 

.18 

203, 140 

Gravel . . . 

. . . do _ 

1,875,048 

.  18 

337,599 

Sand .  . 

. do  — 

7, 192, 600 

.18 

1,294,668 

Earth . . . 

2, 175, 193 

.  18 

391,535 

Extra  for  lock: 

Earth  . . . . . 

204,577 

.32 

65, 465 

Rock . . 

167,970 

.60 

100, 782 

Diversion  and  levees . 

310,306 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


552 


Table  No.  9. — Oswego- Mohawk  route ,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  30-foot  channel—  Continued. 

SECTION  NO.  6  (STATION  5651  TO  STATION  6103),  FROM  ST.  JOHNSVILLE  TO 

CANA.JOHARIE— Continued. 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Right  of  way: 

Farmland . . . acres.. 

Town  land  . . . . l.do - 

1,544 

30 

1.51 

$106.00 
2, 800. 00 

§154, 400 
84,000 
26. 304 
2. 569 
443,252 
273,571 
57,394 

2, 544 
77,062 
31,344 
35, 100 
9, 526 
1, 010, 095 
100,000 

134, 964 
25, 105 
14, 500 
92. 250 

Entranpfi  of  streams,  submerged  weirs _ 

Retaining  wall . cubic  yards.. 

Slope  wall . square  yards.. 

Back  fill . . . cubic  yards . . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . feet  B.  M.. 

Hemlock . . .  . . . do - 

Pine  . . . - . - .  -do  — 

Stone  fill .  cubic  yards.. 

Iron  bolts . . pounds.. 

Lock  No.  15 _ _ _ _ _ _ 

110,813 
248, 701 
229, 575 

50, 880 
3,350,514 
1,044,806 
58, 500 
317, 535 

4.00 

1.10 

.25 

a  50. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 

Dams: 

Concrete . . . . . cubic  yards.. 

Excavation,  earth . . . . . ...do - 

Cofferdam  . . . . . . . . 

22, 494 
50,210 

6.00 

.50 

Bridge . - _ _ _ 

1 

Total  . . . 

7, 929, 829 

1 

SECTION  NO.  7  (STATION  6103  TO  STATION  6300),  FROM  CANAJOHARIE  TO 

FULTON  VILLE. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  wet . 

Rock,  artificially  dry . 

Clay  and  bowlders,  dry . 

Clay . . . 

Gravel . . . 

Sand  . . 

Earth  . . 

Extra  for  lock: 

Earth . - . 

Rock . . 

Diversion  and  levees . . . 

Riglit  of  way: 

Farm  land . 

Town  land . 

Railroad  changes. . . 

Entrance  of  streams,  submerged  weirs 

Retaining  wall . . 

Slope  wall. . . 

Back  fill . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . . . . 

Hemlock . - . . . 

Pine . . . 

Stone  fill. . . . 

Iron  bolts . . 

Lock  No.  16 . 

Operating  machinery . 

Dams: 

Concrete,  dam  and  wing . 

Timber  in  foundation . 

Piles  in  foundation  . . 

Sheet  piling  in  foundation . 

Iron  in  foundation . 

Excavation,  earth . . . 

Embankment . 

Cofferdam  . . 

Bridges . 


cubic  yards .. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. .do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do... 

. . .do _ 

. . do.... 


acres.. 

..do _ 

miles. . 


..cubic  yards., 
square  yards.  . 
..cubic  yards.. 


32, 970 

§2. 00 

399, 964 

.  75 

475, 667 

.20 

2.892.628 

.18 

1,163,980 

.  18 

16, 488. 434 

.18 

4, 188, 200 

.18 

496, 970 

.32 

10, 842 

.50 

2,422 

100.00 

96 

3, 193. 00 

3. 64 

81,674 

4.00 

443. 335 

1.10 

547, 683 

.25 

_ feet  B.  M-. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

cubic  jTards . . 
_ pounds.. 


122, 880 
10, 715, 304 
3, 522, 566 
181,590 
1,286,180 


a 50. 00 
a  23. 00 
a 30. 00 
.60 
.03 


cubic  yards.. 
..  .feet  B.  M-. 
.. linear  feet.. 

_ feet  B.  M. . 

_ pounds.. 

cubic  yards  . 
. do _ 


19, 902 
1,191,000 
163, 320 
262, 800 
102, 000 
53, 400 
3,700 

. . 2  I 


6.00 
a  22. 00 
.20 
a  33. 00 
.03 
.50 
.15 


§65, 940 
299,973 
95, 133 
520,673 
209, 516 
2,967,918 
753,876 

159,030 

5,421 

60,000 

242,200 
306, 528 
40, 560 
4,252 
326, 696 
487,669 
136. 921 


6,144 
247, 144 
105, 677 
108, 954 
38, 585 
1,015,283 
100, 006 

119,412 
26,202 
32, 664 
8,672 
3, 060 
26, 700 
555 
25. 000 
180,054 


Total . 


8, 726, 412 


a  Per  1,000  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


553 


Table  No.  9. — Oswego-Mohawk  route ,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  30-foot  channel — Continued. 

SECTION  NO.  8  (STATION  6800  TO  STATION  7732),  FULTONVILLE  TO  ROTTERDAM 

JUNCTION. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  dry . 

Rock,  wet . 

Rock,  artificially  dry . 

Clay . 

Gravel . 

Sand . .  . 

Quicksand . 

Earth - ; . 

Extra  for  locks: 

Earth . 

Rock  . 

Diversion  and  levees . 

Right  of  way: 

Farm  land  . . . . . 

Town  land . . . 

Railroad  changes.. . . 

Entrance  of  streams,  submerged  weirs 

Retaining  wall . 

Slope  wall . . . 

Back  fill . . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . . 

Hemlock . . 

Pine  .  . 

Stone  fill . 

Iron  bolts . . 

Lock  No.  17 . . 

Operating  machinery . . . . 

Lock  No.  18  . . . 

Operating  machinery . . . 

Dam  at  Amsterdam: 

Concrete . . . 

Excavation,  earth . . . 

Cofferdam . . 

Dam  at  Cranesville: 

Concrete . . . . 

Timber  in  foundation.. . 

Piles  in  foundation . 

Sheet  piling . 

Iron . 

Excavation,  earth  . . . . 

Cofferdam . : . 

Bridges . . . 

Steam  ferry . . . 

Total . . . . . 


Quantity. 


Cost  per 
unit. 


cubic  yards. . 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do - 

. do _ 

. do _ 


398, 163 
612,927 
610, 427 
6,293,037 
13,755,344 
15,912,153 
176, 790 
6,316,712 


Si ).  65 
2.00 
.  75 
.18 
.18 
.18 
.18 
.18 


Total. 


§258,806 
1 , 225, 854 
457, 820 
1,132,747 
2, 475, 962 
2,864.188 
31,822 
1,137,008 


cubic  yards.  . 
. . do _ 


463,430 
96, 521 


.32 

.60 


acres.. 
..do  — 
miles.. 


3, 168  100. 00 

61  7,486.00 

3.99 . 


..cubic  yards., 
square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 


90,244  4. 00 

623,737  1.10 

421,272  .25 


148, 298 
57,913 
47, 000 

316,800 
456, 646 
105, 893 
2, 643 
360, 976 
688, 111 
105,318 


...feet  B.  M.. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

cubic  yards. . 
. pounds.. 


191,040 
16, 746. 154 
5, 657, 946 
282.590 
2,032,610 


a  50. 00 
«23. 00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 


9,552 
385, 162 
169, 738 
169, 554 
60, 978 
1,062.977 
100,0110 
1,245,321 
100,000 


cubic  yards. . 
. do.... 


35,812 
72, 800 


6.00 

.50 


214,872 
36, 400 
17,800 


cubic  yards.. 

_ feet  B.  M.. 

.  .linear  feet.. 
...feet  B.M.. 

. pounds.  . 

cubic  yards. . 


17,325 
1,116,720 
154,140 
249,600 
100, 000 
40, 800 


6.00 
a  22. 00 
.20 
«33. 01) 
.03 
.50 


103, 950 
24,568 
30, 828 
8,237 
3, 000 
20, 400 
11,000 
538, 943 
20,000 


16, 205, 085 


SECTION  NO.  9  (STATION  7732  TO  STATION  8043),  FROM  ROTTERDAM  JUNCTION  TO 
1  MILE  NORTH  OF  SOUTH  SCHENECTADY. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  dry 
Hard  material,  dry 

Clay . 

Gravel  . . 

Sand. . 

Earth . . 

Extra  for  lock,  earth 
Right  of  way: 

Farm  land . . 

Town  land . 

Retaining  wall . 

Slope  wall . 

Back  fill. . 

Core  wall . 

Embankment . 

Timber  crib: 

Hemlock . 

Pine . . 


cubic  yards.. 

. do _ 

. . do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

_ do  — 

cubic  yards.. 


. acres.. 

, . do _ 

..cubic  yards.  . 
square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

_ feet  B.  M_. 

. do _ 


560, 525 
1,338,299 
1,240,789 
1,106,294 
3, 835, 337 
5,727,104 
366, 656 

1,593 
36 
9, 340 
190, 763 
280,  761 
15.417 
1, 046, 767 

6,990,900 

1,568,140 


$0.60 

.30 

.18 

.18 

.18 

.18 

.32 

100. 00 
2, 600. 00 
4.00 
1.10 
.25 
4.50 
.15 

a  23. 00 
a  30. 00 


$336,315 
401,490 
223. 342 
199, 133 
690, 361 
1,030, 879 
117,330 

159. 300 
93,600 
37, 360 
209, 839 
70. 190 
69, 377 
157, 015 

160, 791 
47,044 


a  Per  1,000  feet. 


554 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Table  No.  9. — Oswego-Mohawk  route ,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  30-foot  channel — Continued. 

SECTION  NO.  9  (STATION  7732  TO  STATION  8043),  FROM  ROTTERDAM  JUNCTION  TO 
1  MILE  NORTH  OF  SOUTH  SCHENECTADY— Continued. 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . . . . feet  B.  M.. 

Iron . . . . . . . . pounds.. 

Stone  fill . . . . cubic  yards.. 

Lock  No.  19  .  _  . . . . . . . . . 

88, 776 
738, 680 
112, 984 

a  850.  TO 
.03 
.60 

84.439 
22, 160 
67, 790 
965, 777 
100,000 

192, 240 
40,500 
30, 945 
43, 722 
9,346 
3. 960 
37,913 
4. 935 
14,000 
184, 437 

Operating  machinery . . . . . . ...... _ 

Dams: 

Concrete . . . cubic  yards.. 

Concrete  core  wall  . do  ... 

Timber  in  foundation . .feet  B.  M_. 

Piles  in  foundation. . . . . . linear  feet.. 

Sheet  piling  in  foundation . feet  B.  M. . 

Iron  . . pounds.. 

Excavation  .  . . ..cubic  yards.. 

Embankment . do _ 

Cofferdam . . . . . . 

32, 040 
9,  TOO 
1.406,600 
218,610 
283, 200 
132,  TOO 
75,825 
32,900 

6.00 
4. 50 
a  22. 00 
.20 
a  33.  TO 
.03 
.50 
.  15 

Bridges . . . . 

2 

Total. . . . . . 

5, 725,530 

SECTION  NO.  10  (STATION  8043  TO  STATION  842!)),  FROM  1  MILE  NORTH  OF  SOUTH 

SCHENECTADY  TO  FRENCH  MILLS. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  dry . 

Hardpan . 

Clay. . . . . 

Gravel . 

Sand  . . 

Earth  . 

Long  haul,  shale . 

Long  haul,  quicksand 

Long  haul,  clay . . 

Long  haul,  gravel _ 

Long  haul,  sand. . 

Long  haul,  earth . 

Right  of  way: 

Farm  land . . 

Town  land  - - - 

Entrance  of  streams . 

Retaining  wall . . 

Slope  walls . 

Back  fill . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . 

Hemlock . 

Pine . 

Stone  fill . 

Iron  bolts . . 

Lock  No.  20 . . . 

Operating  machinery  . . . 
Dam : 

Concrete  . . 

Cofferdam . . 

Bridges . 

Total . . . 


cubic  yards. . 

. . do _ 

. . do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. . do _ 

. do _ 

. . do _ 

. . do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 


603,252 
4,654.025 
679,  757 
339, 879 
1,168,794 
253. 788 
7,334,260 
4, 007, 249 
3, 259, 155 
3, 259, 155 
15,604,521 
2, 35 1 , 06 1 


$0. 60 

8361, 951 

.30 

1,396.208 

.18 

122,356 

.18 

61.178 

.18 

210,383 

.18 

45, 682 

.60 

4,400,556 

.17 

681,232 

.17 

554,056 

.17 

554,056 

.17 

2, 652, 769 

.17 

400, 786 

acres.  . 
..do _ 


..cubic  yards., 
square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 


1,516  |  100.00 

7  |  500.00 

78,252 . 4.50 

92,175  1.45 

616, 210  . 25 


151,600 
3, 500 
30, 294 
352, 134 
133, 654 
154,053 


...feet  B.M.. 

. do _ 

_ do.... 

cubic  yards.. 
_ pounds.. 


87,576 
7,428,272 
1,068,988 
113,519 
730, 958 


a  50. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03  | 


4,379 
170, 850 
32, 070 
68,111 
21,929 
884, 446 
100, 000 


cubic  yard . . 


1.548 


6.00 


8 


9,288 

6,  Oi  10 

658,030 


14,221,551 


SECTION  NO.  11  (STATION  8423  TO  STATION  8663),  FROM  FRENCH  MILLS  TO  ROAD 

TO  VOORHEESVILLE. 


Excavation : 

Rock,  dry . 

318, 913 

SO.  60 

$191,348 

Hardpan,  dry . 

5, 368, 895 

.30 

1,610,669 

Right  of  way,  farm  land . 

. . . acres.. 

1.019 

100.00 

101,900 

Slope  wall . 

9,771 

1.45 

14, 168 

Back  fill . . . 

378, 981 

.25 

94, 745 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . 

152. 400 

a  50.  TO 

7,620 

Hemlock . . . 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 

15, 550, 642 

a  23.  TO 

357, 665 

DEEP  WATERWAYS 


555 


Table  No.  9. — Oswego- Mohawk  route,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  30-foot  channel — Continued. 

SECTION  NO.  11  (STATION  8423  TO  STATION  8603),  FROM  FRENCH  MILLS  TO  ROAD 

TO  VOORHEESVILLE — Continued. 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Timber  crib — Continued. 

Pine  . . 

Stone  fill . 

Iron  bolts. . . 

T.ock  No.  21  _  _  ...  _  ... 

. feet  B.  M. . 

. pounds.. 

1,949,308 

197.644 

1,430,686 

a §30. 00 
.60 
.03 

§58, 479 
118, 586 
43, 921 
966, 258 

Operating  machinery . . . 

100,600 

3,114,687 

175,000 

Locks  Nos.  22  and  23 . . . 

Oneratinsr  maoliinerv.  _  _  _  ...  _ 

Dam: 

Concrete. .  . . 

Excavation,  earth . . 

Concrete  . 

Excavation,  earth . . . 

Bridges  . 

. cubic  yards. . 

. do... 

. . . do _ 

. do _ 

9,601 
29, 800 
60, 696 
99, 000 
,> 

6. 00 
.15 
6. 00 
.15 

57, 606 
4,470 
364, 176 
14,850 
194, 212 

Total _ 

7, 589, 360 

SECTION  NO.  12  (STATION  8663  TO  STATION  8923),  FROM  ROAD  TO  V ORHEESY IDLE 

TO  1  MILE  WEST  OF  NORMANSVILLE. 


Excavation: 

Rock, dry  . cubicyards.. 

Clay .  .  . . do _ 

Sand . . do  — 

Right  of  way,  farm  land . . .  acres.. 

Slope  wall . .  square  yards. 

Bridges  . . . . . . . . 

5,281 
4,037,641 
1,345,880 
4.  *34 
30. 771 

§0.60 

.15 

.15 

100.00 
1. 45 

§3, 169 
605,646 
2)1,882 
433, 400 

53.318 

194,212 

Total .  . .  . . 

1,491,627 

SECTION  NO.  13  (STATION  8933  TO  STATION  9106+18.5),  FROM  1  MILE  WEST  OF  NOR¬ 
MANSVILLE  TO  HUDSON  RIVER. 


Excavation: 

Rock. hard, dry . 

Rock,  dry _ 

Clay... . 

Sand  . . 

Earth . . 

Right  of  way: 

Farm  land . 

Town  land  . . 

Railroad  changes . 

Retaining  wall . 

Slope  wall . 

Back  fill  . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . . . 

Hemlock . 

Pine . 

Stone  fill . . 

Iron  bolts . 

Locks  Nos.  24, 25,  and  26 . 

Operating  machinery . . 

Locks  Nos.  27, 28, 29, 30,  and  31 

Operating  machinery . 

Dam : 

Concrete . 

Excavation,  earth . 

Concrete . 

Bridges . . . 

Total . . . 


..cubic  yards .. 

. do _ 

_ _ do _ 

. do _ 

. ..do _ 

. acres.. 

. do _ 

. . miles  . 

..cubic  yards., 
square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 


2, 627, 030 

§0. 65 

$1, 707, 570 

537, 516 

.60 

322.510 

6, 954, 046 

.15 

1,043.107 

661 , 638 

.  15 

99.246 

451,681 

.15 

67, 752 

585 

1(H).  00 

58,500 

13 

3, 846.  00 

50, 000 

o 

1 19, !H)2 

7,504 

4.50 

33,  768 

28.  7*1 

1.45 

41,663 

547, 705 

.25 

136,941 

_ feet  B.  M-. 

. do.... 

. do _ 

cubic  yards.. 
. pounds.. 


161,784 
18, 789. 595 
1,567,981 
273,  784 
1, 667, 437 


a  50. 00 
a  23.00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 


8, 089 
432, 161 
47,039 
164. 270 
50.023 
4, 720, 697 
225.000 
7, 445. 609 
350, 000 


cubic  yards.. 

. . do _ 

. ...do _ 


44,495  6.00  266,970 

34.900  .15  5,235 

6,750  j  6.00  40,500 

5  1 .  212, 367 


17,648,919 


a  Per  1,000  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


550 

Table  No.  0. — Oswego-Moliawk  route ,  eastern  division— Estimate  of  construction 

of  30-foot  channel — Continued. 


SUMMARY. 


Section. 

Station  to  station. 

Total  cost. 

1  . . . . 

4789+91.5  to  4848  . 

$535, 431 
6,512,731 
6. 668, 726 
857, 859 
8, 136. 131 
7, 929, 829 
8,726,412 
16,205,085 
5, 725, 530 
14.221,551 
7, 589, 360 
1,491,627 
17,648,919 

*> 

4848  to  5118 . 

3  . . . . . . 

5118  to  5175 . . 

5  . . . 

5260  to  5651 . 

I)  . . . . . 

5051  to  0103 . . 

7  . . . 

6103  to  6800 . . . 

8  . . . 

6800  to  7732 . . . 

u  .  . . . . . 

7732  to  8043 _ _ 

10  . . . . 

8043  to  8423 . . . 

11  .  . . . 

8423  to  8663 . 

12  . . . . 

8663  to  8923 _ 

13  . . 

8923  to 9106 +18. 5.  — . 

102,249,191 

Table  No.  10. — Oswego-Moliawk  route,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  21-foot  channel. 

SECTION  NO.  1  (STATION  4789  +91.5  TO  STATION  4848  +00),  FROM  HERKIMER  TO  1* 

MILES  EAST  OF  HERKIMER. 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Excavation: 

Gravel*! . 

Sand . 

Earth . .  . . . 

Right  of  way,  farm  land . . 

Entrance  of  streams . 

. cubic  yards.. 

.  do.... 

_  _ _ do _ 

. . . . . . acres . . 

838,919 

601,863 

601,862 

189 

$0. 18 

.  18 
.18 

100. 00 

$151, 005 
108,335 
108, 335 
18,900 
2, 352 

Slope  wall . 

. square  yards.. 

29, 814 

1.10 

32, 795 

Total _ 

421,722 

SECTION  NO.  2  (STATION  4848  TO  STATION  5118),  FROM  U  MILES  EAST  OF  HERKI¬ 
MER  TO  LITTLE  FALLS. 


Excavation : 

Rock,  dry  (quartzite) . . . 

Rock,  wet  ( quartzite ) . 

Rock,  artificially  dry  (quartzite) 

Clay . - - - 

Gravel . .. . 

Sand . . . 

Earth . . . . 

Diversion . . . 

Right  of  way: 

Farmland . . . 

Town  land . . . 

Railroad  changes . . . . . 

Retaining  wall . . . 

Slope  wall . . . . . 

Back  fill . . . . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . . 

Hemlock . . . . . . 

Pine . . . 

Stone  fill . . . . 

Iron  bolts . 

Lock  No.  11 . 

Operating  machinery . . 

Dam: 

Concrete,  dam  and  wing  wall _ 

Concrete,  core  wall  . . . 

Excavation,  earth . 

Embankment . 

Cofferdam . 

Total . 


cubic  yards.. 

_ do _ 

. . do..  . 

. do _ 

- do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 


342, 786 
137,078 
111,445 
750, 024 
504, 467 
3, 263, 024 
1,481,095 


SO 

75 

»> 

50 

1 

00 

18 

18 

18 

18 

$257,090 
342, 695 
111,445 
135,004 
90,804 
581, 344 
266, 597 
60, 000 


. acres.. 

. do _ 

. . miles.. 

.eubic  yards., 
square  yards . . 
..cubic  yards. . 


668 

5 

3.05 
50.355 
116,720 
149, 071 


100. 00 
14,286.00 


4. 00 
1.10 

2fi 


86, 800 
71.4:10 
23,851 
201,420 
128. 392 
37,268 


...feet  B. M-. 

. do _ 

. ...do  . .. 

cubic  yards.. 
. pounds.. 


103, 440 
7,293,355 
1, 616, 445 
110,210 
785, 255 


a  50. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 


5, 172 
167,  747 
48, 493 
66, 126 
23, 558 
560, 968 
100,000 


.cubic  yards.. 

. do _ 

. . do _ 

. . do _ 


21,606 
10,000 
53, 630 
45.  750 


6.00 
4. 50 
.18 
.15 


129, 636 
45,000 
9, 053 
6, 863 
12,800 


3, 576, 156 


a  Per  1,000  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


557 


Table  No.  10. — Oswego- Mohawk  route,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  21-foot  channel — Continued. 

SECTION  NO.  3  (STATION  5118  TO  STATION  5175),  LITTLE  FALLS. 


Quantity.  '  ^P01' 

Total. 

Excavation,  rock,  dry  (quartzite).. . cubic  yards.. 

Right  of  way: 

Farm  land . . . acres.. 

Town  land . . . . . do 

Retaining  wall . . cubic  yards.. 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . feet  B  M.. 

Hemlock . . . . . do 

Pine... .  ...do 

Stone  fill . . .cubic  yards.. 

Iron  bolts . pounds. 

Locks  Nos.  12  and  13 . . . . . . . 

1,837,425 

47 

37 

54,405 

19,200 
920, 400 
367,200 
9, 660 
79, 500 

$0. 75 

100. 00 
22. 124. 00 
4.00 

a  50. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 

$1,378, 069 

4,700 
818, 588 
217, 620 

960 
21,169 
11, 016 
5, 796 
2, 385 
2,434,589 
175,000 

30,900 
1, 190 
27,000 
66,382 

Operating  machinery . 

Dam : 

Concrete,  dam  and  wing  walls . cubic  yards.. 

Excavation, earth . . .  .do _ 

Cofferdam . 

5, 150 
6,610 

6.00 

.18 

Bridge . . . 

1 

Total . . . . . . 

5, 195, 364 

SECTION  NO.  4  (STATION  5175  TO  STATION  5260),  FROM  LITTLE  FALLS  TO  THREE- 
FOURTHS  OF  A  MILE  BELOW  SUSPENSION  BRIDGE. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  hard,  artificially  dry . cubic  yards.. 

Sand . . . . . do  ... 

Diversion  .  . . . . 

147,717 
1, 674, 046 

$1.00 

.18 

$147, 717 
301,328 
10,000 
29, 3<  H) 
81, 168 

1,752 
61, 865 
27, 189 
26, 175 
9, 436 
90, 666 

Right  of  way,  farm  land . acres. . 

Slope  wall . square  yards.. 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . feet  B.  M. . 

Hemlock .  . . . do... 

Pine . do 

Stone  fill . . . . . . cubic  yards . . 

Iron  bolts . pounds.. 

Bridge . . . 

293 
73, 789 

35,040 
2,689,740 
906,300 
43  625 
314, 525 

1 

100.  (X) 
1.  10 

a  50. 00 
«23. 00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 

Total . . . . . . 

786, 596 

SECTION  NO.  5  (STATION  5260  TO  STATION  5651),  FROM  THREE-FOURTHS  OF  A 
MILE  BELOW  SUSPENSION  BRIDGE  TO  ST.  JOHNS YILLE. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  dry . 

Extra  for  lock,  rock,  dry _ 

Rock,  artificially  dry . 

Clay . 

Gravel . 

Sand . 

Earth  . 

Earth,  extra  for  lock . 

Diversion . 

Right  of  way,  farmland . . 

Railroad  changes . 

Entrance  of  streams . . 

Retaining  wall . 

Slope  wall.- . . 

Back  fill. . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak .  . 

Hemlock . 

Pine . 

Stone  fill . 

Iron . 

Lock  No.  14 . 

Operating  machinery . 

Dam: 

Concrete,  dam  and  wing  wall 

Excavation,  earth . 

Cofferdam . 

Bridge . 

Total . . 


cubic  yards. . 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 


acres. . 
miles.. 


..cubic  yards., 
square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 


861, 759 

$0. 65 

82, 804 

.  60 

906, 112 

.  75 

242. 450 

.18 

1, 708, 542 

.18 

4,298,096 

.18 

1,523,982 

.18 

93, 793 

.32 

2,200 

100. 00 

4.22 

135, 696 

4. 00 

128, 745 

1.10 

228, 510 

.25 

$500, 143 
f!*,  682 

679,584 
43, 641 
307, 538 
773. 657 
274,317 
30,014 
200,  (XXI 
220,000 
73. 795 
2, 006 
542, 784 
141,620 
57, 128 


_ feet  B.  M.. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

cubic  yards. . 
. pounds.. 


102, 240 
5, 292, 820 
2,747,520 
102, 050 
688, 192 


a  50. 00 
a  28. 00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 


5,112 
121,735 
82,426 
61,230 
20. 646 
684, 348 
100,000 


cubic  yards. . 
. do _ 


35, 960  6. 00 

68,944  .  50 


1 


215,760 
84. 472 
20, 000 
71,092 


5,372,730 


a  Per  1,000  feet. 


558 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Table  No.  10. — Oswego-Mohawk  route,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  21-foot  channel — Continued. 

SECTION  NO.  6  (STATION  5651  TO  STATION  61(8),  FROM  ST.  JOHNSVILLE  TO 

CAN  AJOHARIE. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  dry . 

Rock,  dry,  extra  for  lock - 

Rock,  wet . . . ..  .. 

Rock,  artificially  dry.. . 

Clay . — . 

Gravel . 

Sand . . 

Earth . - . 

Earth,  extra  for  lock . . 

Diversion . 

Right  of  way: 

Farm  land . 

Town  land  . . . . . 

Railroad  changes . . 

Entrance  of  streams  _ _ _ 

Retaining  wall . . . 

Slope  wall . . . . 

Back  fill . . . . . . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak  . . . . 

Hemlock . . 

Pine . 

Stone  fill. . . . 

Iron  bolts . . 

Lock  No.  15 . .... . . 

Operating  machinery . . 

Dam: 

Concrete,  dam  and  wing  wall 

Excavation,  earth . 

Cofferdam . . . 

Bridge . . . . 


Total 


Quantity. 


I  Cost  per 
unit. 


Total. 


cubic  yards.  . 

. . . do _ 

. do _ 

. . do.... 

. . do _ 

. do _ 

. .do _ 

. . do _ 

. . do _ 


acres. . 
— do.. 


96.214 
73.814 
88, 429 
567, 710 
1,122,065 
2,057,292 
7,180,540 
2,304,549 
96,979 


1,544 
30  I  2 


miles.. 


1.51 


..cubic  yards., 
square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 


33, 560 
270,089 
120, 784 


$0. 65 
.60 
2.  IK) 
.75 
.18 
.18 
.18 
.18 
.32 


100.00 

,800.00 


4.00 

1.10 

.25 


$62, 539 
44,288 
176, 858 
425, 783 
201,972 
370. 313 
1,292,497 
414,819 
31,033 
185, 000 

154,400 
84, 000 
26, 304 
2,569 
1:34,240 
297, 098 
30, 196 


...feet  B.  M.. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

cubic  yards. . 
. pounds. . 


122, 880 
5,388,910 
3,094,800 
106,080 
732. 467 


a  50. 00 
a  23.  (K) 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 


6,144 
123, 945 
92, 844 
63, 648 
21,974 
615. 861 
100, 000 


cubic  yards..  22,494 

. do....  50,210 


1 


6.00 

.50 


134, 964 
25, 105 
14, 500 
90, 770 


5,223,664 


SECTION  NO.  7  (STATION  6103  TO  STATION  6800),  FROM  CANAJOHARIE  TO 

FULTON  YILLE. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  wet . . 

Rock,  artificially  dry . . 

Clay  and  bowlders,  dry . 

Clay . . 

Gravel . . 

Sand . . . . . 

Earth . 

Earth,  extra  for  lock  . . 

Diversion . 

Right  of  way: 

Farm  land . ... 

Town  land . 

Railroad  changes . 

Entrance  of  streams  . . 

Retaining  wall .  . 

Slope  wall . . . . . 

Back  fill _ _ 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . . . 

Hemlock _ _ _ 

Pine . . 

Stone  fill . . . . 

Iron  bolts . . . 

Lock  No.  16 . . . . 

Operating  machinery . . 

Dam: 

Concrete,  dam  and  wing  wall 

Timber  in  foundation . 

Piles  in  foundation . . 

Sheet  piling  in  foundation. .. 

Iron . . .  . . 

Excavation,  earth . 

Embankment . 

Cofferdam . 

Bridges . . 

Total . . . 


cubic  yards.. 

_ do _ 

. . —do _ 

. . ...do - 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. . do _ 

. . do... 


15, 199 
181,404 
475, 667 
2,892,628 
1, 115, 445 
15,  t)00, 066 
4, 166, 681 
280. 120 


S2. 00 
.  75 
.20 
.18 
.18 
.  18 
.18 
.32 


330,398 
136, 053 
85.133 
520, 673 
200, 780 
2, 700, 012 
750,003 
89. 638 
55,000 


acres. . 


2  422 


..do _ 

miles.. 


96 

3.64 


3, 


..cubic  yards., 
square  yards .. 
..cubic  yards. . 


49, 215 
479,311 
330, 371 


100. 00 
193. 00 


4.00 

1.10 


242, 200 
306, 528 
40, 560 
4,252 
196, 860 
527,242 
82, 593 


...feet  B.  M. 

. do _ 

_  _ do _ 

cubic  yards.. 
. pounds.. 


158, 400 
9, 900, 000 
3, 980, 800 
171,000 
1,223,760 


a  50. 00 
a  23.00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 


7.920 
227, 700 
119,424 
102,600 
36,713 
721,484 
100, 000 


cubic  yards.. 
...feet  B.  M_. 
..linear  feet.. 

_ feet  B.  M  — 

_ pounds.. 

cubic  yards .. 
. do _ 


19,902 
1,191,000 
163,320 
262, 800 
102.000 
53, 400 
3,700 


6. 00 
a  22. 00 
20 

a  33!  00 
.03 
.50 
.  15 


119,412 
26, 202 
32, 664 
8, 673 
3,060 
26,  7  0 
555 
25,  IKK) 


160, 698 
7, 696, 730 


a  Per  1,000  feet 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


559 


Table  No.  10. — Oswego-Mohawk  route,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  21-foot  channel — Continued. 

SECTION  NO.  8  (STATION  G800  TO  STATION  7732),  FROM  FULTONVILLE  TO 

ROTTERDAM  JUNCTION. 


Excavation: 

Rock, extra  for  lock. . . 

Rock,  dry . . 

Rock,  wet . . . . . 

Rock,  artificially  dry . ._ 

Clay . . . 

Gravel . - . . . . 

Sand . 

Quicksand . . 

Earth . . . 

Earth,  extra  for  locks . 

Diversion . . 

Right  of  way : 

Farm  land . 

Town  land . - . 

Railroad  changes. . . 

Entrance  of  streams.. _ _ 

Retaining  wall . . . . . . . 

Slope  wall . . . . 

Back  fill . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . 

Hemlock _ _ _ _ 

Pine . 

Stone  fill. . ... 

Iron  bolts. - . . . 

Lock  No.  17 . . . 

Operating  machinery . 

Lock  No.  18 .  . . 

Operating  machinery . 

Dam  at  Amsterdam:" 

Concrete,  dam  and  wing  wall 

Excavation,  earth  _ _ _ 

Cofferdam . 

Dam  at  Cranesville: 

Concrete . 

Timber  in  foundation . 

Piles  in  foundation . . 

Sheet  piling  foundation . 

Iron . . 

Excavation,  earth . 

Cofferdam . 

Bridges  . . 

Steam  ferry . . . 


Total 


Quantity. 


Cost  per 
unit. 


cubic  yards. . 

. do  — 

. ...do _ 

. do _ 

. . do _ 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. . do _ 

. .do _ 

. . . do _ 


29, 139 

$0. 60 

398, 163 

.  65 

612, 927 

2. 00 

395.271 

.75 

6, 293. 037 

.18 

13,  755, 344 

.18 

15,251,930 

.18 

176,790 

.18 

6,316,712 

.18 

245.871 

.32 

Total. 


§17,483 
258,806 
1,225,854 
296, 453 
1,112,747 
2, 475, 962 
2, 745,347 
31,822 
1,137,008 
78, 679 
47,000 


acres.  . 
..do  ... 
miles.. 


..cubic  yards. . 
square  yards. . 
..cubic  yards.. 


3, 168 
61 
3.99 

100. 00 
7, 486. 00 

66, 717 

4. 00 

623, 737 

1.10 

279,672 

.25 

_ feet  B.  M. . 

. do _ 

. do _ 

.cubic  yards.. 
. pounds.. 


272, 980 
17,238,000 
6,626,740 
271.010 
1,984,060 


.cubic  yards . 
. do... 


.cubic  yards. 

- feet  B.  M. 

..linear  feet. 

_ feet  B.  M. 

. pounds. 

.cubic  yards. 


35, 812 
72, 800 


1  i ,  325 
1, 116, 720 
154,140 
249,600 
100,000 
40, 800 


a  50. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  30. 0G 
.60 
.03 


6.00 

.50 


6. 00 
a  22. 00 
.20 
a  33. 00 
.03 
.50 


316, 800 
456, 646 
105,893 
2, 643 
266, 868 
686,111 
69.918 

13, 649 

396. 474 
198,802 
162, 606 

59, 522 

648. 475 
100,009 
765,818 
100, 000 

214,872 

36.400 
17.800 

103, 950 
24,567 
30,828 
8,237 
3,00  i 

20.400 

11,000 

523, 693 

20, 000 


14,812,133 


SECTION  NO.  9  (STATION  7732  TO  STATION  8043),  FROM  ROTTERDAM  JUNCTION  TO 
1  MILE  NORTH  OF  SOUTH  SCHENECTADY. 


Excavation: 

Rock,  dry .  . 

Hardpan . . . 

Clay . . 

Gravel . 

Sand . . 

Earth . . 

Earth,  extra  for  lock . 

Right  of  way: 

Farm  land . 

Town  land . 

Retaining  wall  . . 

Core  wall  in  embankmen  .s _ 

Slope  wall . 

Back  fill . . . . 

Embankment .  . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . . . . 

Hemlock . . . . 

Pine . . . 

Stone  fill. . 

Iron  bolts .  . 

Lock  No.  19 . . . . 

Operating  machinery . 

Dam: 

Concrete,  dam  and  wing  wall 
Concrete,  core  wall . 


.cubic  yards. 

. . do  .. 

. do... 

.  do... 

. do... 

. do... 

. do... 


. acres . 

. ...do... 

...cubic  yards. 

. .".do  .. 

.square  yards 
...cubic  yards. 
. do... 


_ feet  B.  M. 

. do... 

. do... 

.cubic  yards. 
_ pounds. 


_ cubic  yards. 

. . do... 

«  Per  1,000  feet. 


333, 953 

$0. 60 

§200,372 

488, 537 

.30 

146,561 

994, 497 

.  18 

179,069 

1,325,996 

.18 

238, 679 

1,657,495 

.18 

298,349 

1,988,989 

.18 

358,018 

206,095 

.32 

65, 950 

1,593 

100. 00 

159,300 

36 

2, 600. 00 

93,600 

3,818 

4.  00 

15,272 

15,417 

4.50 

377 

197, 85!) 

1.10 

217,645 

158, 169 

.  25 

39,542 

1,033,426 

.15 

155,014 

93,336 

a  50. 00 

4,667 

5,354,740 

a  23. 00 

123. 159 

1,568,140 

a  30. 00 

47,014 

605, 394 

.60 

363,236 

89, 246 

.03 

2,677 

629,650 

100,000 

32, 040 

6.00 

192,240 

9, 000 

4.50 

40,500 

5(50 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


Table  No.  10. — Osicego-Mohciwk  route ,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  21- foot  channel — Continued. 

STATION  NO.  9  (STATION  7732  TO  STATION  8043),  FROM  ROTTERDAM  JUNCTION  TO 
1  MILE  NORTH  OF  SOUTH  SCHENECTADY— Continued. 


Quantity.  |°^5» 

Total. 

Dam— Continued. 

Timber  in  foundation . . feet  B.  M.. 

Piles  in  foundation . linear  feet.. 

Sheet  piling  in  foundation. . . . . feet  B.  M_. 

Iron . . . . . - . ..pounds.. 

Excavation,  earth. . cubic  yards.. 

Embankment . . . . . do  — 

1,406,600 
218, 610 
283, 200 
132, 000 
75, 825 
32, 900 

a$ 22.00 
.20 
«33. 00 
.03 
.  50 
.15 

$30, 945 
43, 722 
9.346 
3, 960 
37,913 
4.935 
14,090 
156, 602 

2 

Total  . . . . . . 

4,041,284 

SECTTON  NO,  10  (STATION  8043  TO  STATION  8423),  FROM  1  MILE  NORTH  OF  SOUTH 

SCHENECTADY  TO  FRENCH  MILLS. 


Excavation: 

Rock . — 

Hardpan  . 

Clay . -- 

Gravel . 

Sand . 

Earth  . 

Rock,  long  haul . 

Clay,  long  haul . 

Gravel, long  haul.... 

Sand,  long  haul - 

Earth,  long  haul . 

Quicksand,  long  haul 
Right  of  way: 

Farm  land . 

Town  land . 

Entrance  of  streams _ 

Retaining  walls _ 

Slope  walls . . 

Back  fill . . 

Timber  cribs: 

Oak . 

Hemlock . 

Pine  . . 

Stone  fill . . 

Iron  bolts . 

Lock  No.  20 . 

Operating  machinery 
Dam: 

Concrete  dam . 

Cofferdam . 

Bridges . 

Total . 


cubic  yards.. 

. do _ 

. . do _ 

. . do _ 

_ do _ 

_ do.... 

. do _ 

. .do _ 

. . do.  .. 

. . do _ 

. do.... 

. do _ 

. acres.. 

. do _ 


..cubic  yards., 
square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 

. feet  B.  M-. 

. do _ 

. do _ 

..cubic  yards. . 
. pounds.. 


cubic  yards.. 


238,237 

$0. 60 

8142,942 

3, 645, 077 

.30 

1,093,523 

470, 334 

.18 

84, 660 

135. 167 

.18 

24, 330 

954,  660 

.18 

171.839 

149. 159 

.18 

26, 849 

5,935,815 

.  60 

3, 561, 489 

2. 954, 860 

.17 

502, 326 

3, 357, 607 

.17 

570. 793 

13,986.595 

.17 

2,377,721 

1,816, 949 

.17 

308,881 

3, 123,  702 

.17 

531, 029 

1,516 

UK).  00 

151, 600 

7 

500. 00 

3, 500 

30, 294 

18,682 

4.50 

84,069 

118,512 

1.45 

171,842 

284, 666 

.25 

71,167 

86,160 

a  50. 00 

4,308 

5, 382. 449 

a  23. 00 

123. 796 

1,060,9!  tO 

a  30. 00 

31,827 

81, 750 

.60 

49,050 

557, 880 

.03 

16.736 

577, 209 

100, 000 

1,548 

6.00 

9,288 

6,000 

8 

609,278 

11,436,346 


SECTION  NO.  11  (STATION  8423  TO  STATION  8663),  FROM  FRENCH  MILLS  TO  ROAD 

TO  YOORHEESYILLE. , 


Excavation: 

Rock,  dry . 

Hardpan,  dry . 

Right  of  way,  farm  land 

Slope  wall . . 

Back  fill . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . 

Hemlock . 

Pine . 

Stone  fill . . 

Iron  bolts . . . 

Lock  No.  21 . 

Operating  machinery ... 

Locks  Nos.  22  and  23 . 

Operating  machinery  ... 
Dam : 

Concrete  dam . 

Excavation,  earth  . .. 

Concrete  dam . 

Excavation,  earth  .. 
Bridges . 

Total.. . 


..cubic  yards.. 

. . do _ 

. acres.. 

square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 


160, 883 
4, 151,268 
1,019 
14, 658 
212, 725 


§0. 60 
.30 
100. 00 
1.45 
.25 


S96, 530 
1,245,380 
110,900 
21,254 
53,181 


...feet  B.  M.. 

. . do  ... 

. . do _ 

cubic  yards. . 
_ pounds.. 


149,520 
9, 862, 660 
1,891,000 
142,010 
1,051,620 


a  50. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  30. 00 
.60 
.03 


7, 476 
226,811 
56, 730 
85,206 
31,549 
728, 626 
100,000 
2, 172, 165 
175,000 


cubic  yards .. 

. do _ 

. . do _ 

. do _ 


9,601 
29,800 
60, 696 
99,000 


2 


6.00 
.15 
6. 00 
.  15 


57, 606 
4. 470 
364.176 
14, 850 
162, 180 


714,120 


a  Per  1,000  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


5G1 


T  able  No.  10. — Oswego- Mohawk  route,  eastern  division — Estimate  of  construction 

of  21-foot  channel — Continued. 

SECTION  NO.  12  (STATION  8063  TO  STATION  8923),  FROM  ROAD  TO  VOORHEESVILLE 

TO  1  MILE  WEST  OF  NORMANSVILLE. 


Quantity,  j 

Total. 

Excavation : 

Clay . cubic  yards. . 

Sand . . . . . . . ..do  — 

Right  of  way,  farm  land . . . acres.. 

Slope  wall.. . . . square  yards.. 

Bridges . . . . . . . . . 

3,292, 919 
1.097,639 
4,334 
44, 479 

o 

SO.  15 
.  15 

100. 00 
1.  45 

$493,938 
104, 640 
433, 4.  l(  i 
64  495 
102, 180 

Total  . . .  .. 

1,318,659 

SECTION  NO.  13  (STATION  8923  TO  STATION  9106  +  18.5),  FROM  ROAD  TO  VOORHEES¬ 
VILLE  TO  HUDSON  RIVER. 


Excavation : 

Rock,  hard, dry . 

Do . 

Clay . 

Sand . 

Earth . 

Right  of  way: 

Farm  land . . 

Town  land . . 

Railroad  changes. . . 

Retaining  walls . . . 

Slope  wall. . . 

Back  fill. . .  . 

Timber  crib: 

Oak . 

Hemlock . . 

Pine . 

Stone  filling . 

Iron  bolts . . . 

Locks  Nos.  24,  25,  and  20 . 

Operating  machinery . 

Locks  Nos.  27, 28, 29, 30,  and  31 

Opei'ating  machinery _ 

Dam: 

Concrete  dam . 

Excavation,  earth . 

Concrete  . 

Bridges . 

Total . 


cubic  yards.. 

. do.... 

. do _ 

. do _ 

. do - 


2,049,245 

$0. 05 

$1,332,009 

222, 083 

.  00 

133.250 

5. 532, 532 

.15 

829,880 

446 

.  15 

57.907 

278, 737 

.15 

41,811 

. acres.. 

. do _ 

. miles.. 

..cubic  yards. . 
square  yards.. 
..cubic  yards.. 


585  100.  (X) 

13  3,846.00 

2,630  .  4.50 

39,234  1.45 

311.823  .25 


58,500 
50,000 
119,902 
11,802 
50, 889 
77, 956 


...feet  B.M.. 

. .do.... 

. do _ 

cubic  yards . 
. pounds.. 


188, 880 
17,527,041 
2,275.805 
260,472 
1,593, 970 


a  50. 00 
a  23. 00 
a  30. 00 
.00 
.03 


9,444 
403, 122 
08,274 
150, 283 
47,819 
3,065,295 
225, 000 
4,533,7(9 
350,  (M 10 


cubic  yards. . 

. . do _ 

. do _ 


44, 495  6. 00 

34,800  .15 

0,  750  6.  (X) 


266. 970 
5,235 
40,500 
179, 499 


121,236 


a  Per  1,000  feet. 
SUMMARY. 


Section. 

Station. 

Total  cost. 

4789+91.5  to  4848 

$421,722 
3,576, 150 
5,195,364 
708, 590 
5,372,730 
5,223,064 
7. 096, 730 
14.  812, 133 
4,041.284 
11,436, 346 
5, 714. 120 
1,318,659 
12.121,236 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 

4848  to  5118 . 

5118  to  5175 . 

5175  to  5260 . 

. . . . . . . 

5260  to  5051  . .  ... 

0103  to  0800  .. 

6800  to  7732 

7732  to  8043 

8043  to  8423  . . 

8423  to  8003 

8003  to  8923 

8923  to  9100+18.5 

Grand  total .  . .  .  .  . 

77, 716, 740 

Ill  closing  this  report  I  desire  to  express  to  each  member  of  the 
United  States  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways  my  full  appre- 

H.  Doc.  149 - 36 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


562 


ciation  of  the  universal  courtesy  at  all  times  extended  to  me  during 
the  progress  of  this  work,  and  the  full  liberty  given  in  the  selection 
of  my  assistants,  and  discretion  allowed  in  obtaining  the  information 
desired. 

I  also  desire  to  take  this  occasion  to  state  my  indorsement  and 
hearty  cooperation  in  the  wisdom  of  the  suggestions  and  instructions 
as  issued  from  time  to  time  by  this  Board,  as  so  greatly  facilitating 
the  obtaining  of  the  results  desired. 

In  view  of  the  large  number  of  men  employed  at  different  times, 
special  mention  can  not  be  made  of  each,  but  I  desire  to  thank  each 
one  and  state  my  full  appreciation  of  the  value  of  the  services  ren¬ 
dered  and  the  care,  zeal,  energy,  and  interest  in  the  work  as  displayed 
by  each  employee,  and  which  so  largely  contributed  to,  I  think  I  can 
state,  its  successful  completion.  The  names  of  those  who  tilled  the 
more  important  positions  in  the  field  and  office  are:  John  McCornb, 
James  J.  Overn,  J.  W.  Paxton,  E.  M.  Durham,  jr.,  C.  E.  Pelz,  and 
E.  C.  Reynolds,  instrument  men;  A.  D.  Raymond,  level  man;  W.  H. 
Breen,  superintendent  of  borings;  Oliver  B.  Harden  and  H.  Tracy 
Fisher,  draftsmen,  and  Heningham  Gordon,  recorder. 

Respectfully, 


D.  J.  Howell, 

Assistant  Engineer. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways. 


Appendix  No.  15. 

TIDAL  HUDSON. 

Detroit,  Mich.,  August  4,  1899. 

Gentlemen  :  I  herewith  very  respectfully  submit  to  you  this  report 
pertaining  to  surveys  and  borings  of  the  Hudson  River  and  approxi¬ 
mate  estimate  of  the  cost  of  improvement  from  the  State  dam  at 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

First.  For  a  channel  varying  from  300  to  000  feet  in  width,  with  a 
depth  of  21  feet  below  low  water. 

Second.  For  a  channel  varying  from  300  to  600  feet  in  width,  with 
a  depth  of  30  feet  below  low  water. 

The  Hudson  River  is  an  arm  of  the  sea,  extending  inland  150  miles, 
and  the  general  direction  is  north  and  south. 

Extensive  improvements  have  been  made  in  the  past  by  the  State 
of  New  York  and  also  by  the  Federal  Government,  and  at  present  a 
12-foot  channel  is  maintained  between  New  Baltimore  and  Broadway, 
Troy,  N.  Y.  Between  New  Baltimore  and  Hudson  City  no  improve¬ 
ments  were  necessary  to  maintain  the  12-foot  channel,  but  a  dike  has 
been  constructed  by  the  Federal  Government  closing  up  the  channel 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


563 

west  of  Bronk  Island,  and  the  heads  of  Light-house  and  Coxsackie 
islands  have  been  protected  from  abrasion  by  pile  dikes.  During  the 
dry  season  the  stage  of  the  river  is  largely  dependent  upon  the  tidal 
flow,  and  the  ebb  and  flood  currents  are  well  defined  in  their  proper 
directions. 

The  State  dam  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  is  a  division  between  the  tidal  and 
nontidal  sections  of  the  river,  and  during  the  dry  season  of  1897  the 
mean  rise  and  fall  of  tides  at  that  point  was  1.4!)  feet.  During  ordi¬ 
nary  stages  of  the  river  above  the  dam,  when  the  river  discharges  an 
average  quantity  of  water,  the  flood  currents  are  not  so  well  defined, 
but  the  ebb  currents  are  still  plainly  marked.  During  freshets  the 
tidal  action  is  lost  sight  of  entirely,  and  during  ordinary  spring  fresh¬ 
ets  the  river  rises  from  fi  to  8  feet  above  mean  low  water. 

The  highest  recorded  stage  of  water  at  Albany,  X.  Y.,  caused  by 
rainfall  alone,  occurred  in  October,  1869,  the  rise  in  the  river  being 
19  feet  above  mean  low  water.  The  highest  known  stage  of  the  river 
at  Albany  occurred  in  February,  1857,  and  was  caused  by  an  ice 
gorge  at  Van  Wies  Point,  and  is  recorded  at  22  feet  above  mean  low 
water.  The  greatest  known  depth  of  water  in  recent  years  on  the 
crest  of  the  dam  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  occurred  March  1,  1896,  and  is 
recorded  as  9.92  feet,  making  an  elevation  of  high  water  of  23.4  feet. 
It  will  not  be  necessary,  however,  to  dwell  upon  the  high-water 
problem  below  the  State  dam,  since  the  deepening  of  the  channel 
would  relieve  that  condition  to  a  great  extent. 

LOW  WATER. 

It  is  problematical  how  much  the  increased  area  of  channel  will 
decrease  the  stage  of  mean  low  water  at  the  State  dam  in  Troy,  X.  Y. 
During  an  extreme  low  stage  of  the  Hudson  River  no  water  runs 
over  the  dam  at  all,  and  the  only  supply  which  the  tidal  section  of 
the  river  receives  during  that  time  is  water  supplied  by  lockage  from 
the  canal,  leakage,  and  through  the  water  wheels.  During  this  time 
the  discharge  is  approximately  between  3,000  and  4,000  cubic  feet  per 
second.  The  plane  of  mean  low  water  of  1897  at  the  State  dam  is 
0.37  foot  lower  than  the  mean  low-water  plane  of  1876.  At  Green  Island 
a  difference  of  0.59  foot  is  recorded  between  the  two  planes  in  the 
same  direction,  and  at  Albany  the  mean  low-water  plane  of  1897  is 
0.05  foot  lower  than  the  plane  of  mean  low  water  of  1876. 

In  establishing  the  grade  line  upon  which  this  estimate  is  based  I 
assume  that  the  elevation  of  extreme  low  water  at  the  State  dam, 
after  the  improvements  are  made,  will  be  +1.23  feet  and  at  Green- 
bush  +  0.24  foot.  The  distance  between  these  two  points  is  8.24 
miles,  making  the  slope  0.12  foot  per  mile,  approximately.  At  Stuy- 
vesant,  the  elevation  of  low  water  is  — 0.18  foot,  and  the  low-water 
stage  there  will  not  be  affected  by  the  improvements  contemplated. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


564 


The  distance  between  Greenlmsh  and  Stuyvesant  is  17.22  miles,  and 
the  total  slope  is  0.42  foot  between  these  two  points.  Between  Stuy- 
vesant  and  Hudson  City  the  stage  of  low  water  will  not  be  affected 
by  any  improvements,  and  quantities  were  computed  for  a  21  and  50 
foot  depth  of  channel,  respectively,  below  this  plane. 

Very  reliable  elevations  of  low  water  could  not  be  obtained  below 
Coxsackie  during  the  time  the  survey  was  made,  on  account  of  the 
continuous  freshets  which  affected  the  river  in  the  autumn  of  1808 
and  spring  of  1899.  In  May,  1899,  elevations  of  — 0.77  foot  were 
obtained  by  staff-gauge  leadings  at  Hudson  City  during  ebb  tide,  and 
approximate  quantities  were  based  on  this  elevation  and  the  elevation, 
— 0.18  foot,  at  Stuyvesant. 

It  will  be  necessary,  however,  to  investigate  the  stage  of  low  water 
more  thoroughly,  and  if  necessary  modify  the  grade  line  upon  which 
this  approximate  estimate  is  based  before  the  contemplated  improve¬ 
ments  are  undertaken. 

TIDES. 


[Deduced  from  information  obtained  from  Mr.  R.  H.  Talcott,  United  States  assistant  engineer, 

Albany,  N.  Y.  J 


Location. 

Mean 

high 

tide. 

Mean 

tide. 

Mean 

low 

tide. 

Mean 
rise  and 
fall  of 
tide. 

Year. 

State  Dam . - 

+4.64 

+3.90 

+3. 15 

1.49 

1897 

Covill  Folly  Light . 

+4. 29 

+2.  S3 

+1. 36 

2.93 

1897 

Albany . . . . . 

+4.09 

+2.  67 

+1.24 

2.85 

1897 

Castleton  . . . . . . . 

+3.  61 

+2.  30 

+0.99 

2. 62 

1876 

New  Baltimore  _  . . . 

+3.  27 

+  1.67 

+0. 07 

3.20 

1876 

Stuyvesant  Light . . _  _ _ _  _ _ 

+3.02 

+  1.43 

-0.18 

3.20 

1876 

Hudson  . . . . . . . . . 

+3  25 

+1.25 

-0.  75 

4.00 

1899 

Germantown  . .  . .  -  - . - . 

+3. 20 

+  1.20 

—0.80 

4.00 

1899 

SURVEYS. 


In  general,  the  method  employed  in  making  the  survey  was  in 
accordance  with  the  instructions  to  field  parties,  Appendix  No.  9. 

Before  starting  on  the  survey,  observations  were  made  on  Polaris 
and  a  true  azimuth  established.  A  base  line  was  then  run  from  the 
Congress  Street  Bridge  at  Troy,  N.  V.,  starting  with  station  0,  at  the 
origin  of  the  base  line  for  the  Oswego  route,  eastern  division.  This 
line  was  carried  across  the  Hudson  River  to  the  Troy  side  and  extended 
south  to  a  point  about  14  miles  below  Hudson  City,  and  connected 
with  triangulation  point  273,  commonly  known  as  “  Wisnall,”  of  the 
New  York  State  triangulation  system,  which  is  equal  to  base  line  sta¬ 
tion  18854-94.03  of  the  Hudson  River  survey. 

As  the  base  line  was  advanced  observations  for  azimuth  were  made, 


whenever  possible,  every  5  miles,  corrections  for  easting  and  westing 
were  applied,  and  instrumental  error  found  and  distributed.  The 
latter,  however,  never  exceeded  3  feet  and  generally  fell  within  1  foot. 

After  the  base  line  had  been  extended  for  some  distance  the  levels 
were  carried  along  by  the  same  party,  benches  being  established 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


505 


every  mile,  approximately,  and  then  the  shore-line  survey  was 
taken  up. 

The  latter  consisted  entirely  of  a  stadia  survey,  the  closing  error 
for  distance  being  limited  to  1  foot  in  500  feet  and  error  in  elevation 
0.5  foot  per  circuit.  No  difficulty  was  found  in  keeping  well  within 
these  limits.  All  stadia  circuits  were  connected  with  the  base  line, 
and  coordinates  of  stadia  hubs  were  computed  and  referred  to  the 
origin  of  the  circuit. 

The  shore-line  survey  extended  from  the  State  dam  at  Troy,  N.  Y., 
south  to  a  point  about  14  miles  below  the  city  of  Hudson,  the  total 
distance  being  approximately  37  miles.  From  the  city  of  Hudson  to 
Livingston  Creek,  a  distance  of  5.1  miles,  a  30-foot  channel  already 
exists,  as  indicated  on  the  Coast  Survey  charts,  and  no  detailed  sur¬ 
veys  have  been  made  covering  this  stretch.  The  survey  was  taken 
up  again,  however,  at  Livingston  Creek,  and  extended  south  a  dis¬ 
tance  of  4.4  miles  to  a  point  below  Germantown.  Covering  this 
stretch  soundings  were  taken  on  ranges  500  feet  apart,  but  no  exten¬ 
sive  borings  were  taken.  Occasionally  the  bed  of  the  river  was  tested 
by  using  a  half-inch  gas  pipe,  pointed  on  one  end,  and  forcing  it  down 
by  hand  to  a  distance  several  feet  below  the  bottom  of  the  proposed 
channel.  The  material  encountered  was  a  tine  sand.  The  river  was 
also  examined  near  Barrytown  and  Rhinebeck.  At  Barrytown  an 
estimate  was  made  for  dredging  a  channel  about  3,(500  feet  long 
across  the  bar  between  the  east  and  west  channels  for  the  30-foot 
canal.  No  work  is  required  for  the  21-foot  canal.  At  Rhinebeck 
the  required  depth  was  found,  and  no  improvements  will  be  neces¬ 
sary.  An  estimate  was  made  for  widening  and  straightening  the 
30-foot  channel  near  Sycamore  Point.  The  data  for  this  purpose  was 
taken  from  the  Coast  Survey  charts. 


LEVELS. 


All  elevations  in  connection  with  this  survey  are  referred  to  the 
plane  of  mean  tide  at  Sandy  Hook,  and  depend  upon  the  elevation 
+  14.73  of  the  Greenbush  bench  mark. 

The  method  employed  in  transferring  levels  from  this  bench  was  as 
follows: 

Duplicate  lines  of  levels  were  run,  backsights  and  foresights  never 
exceeding  250  feet  in  length,  and  if  the  error  exceeded  0.05  feet  x 
V distance  in  miles  between  bench  marks,  or  from  the  origin  of  levels 
to  any  bench  mark,  the  levels  were  rerun  to  bring  the  error  within 
the  prescribed  limits. 

SOUNDINGS. 


Soundings  were  taken  on  ranges  approximately  300  feet  apart, 
established  by  the  sounding  party,  and  subsequently  located  by  the 
stadia  party. 


566 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


The  method  employed  in  taking  soundings  was  as  follows: 

A  flagman  was  placed  at  one  end  of  the  range,  and  it  was  his  duty 
to  keep  the  boat  on  range,  as  nearly  as  possible.  Soundings  were 
taken  at  from  ten  to  thirty  seconds  intervals,  depending  upon  the 
depth  of  the  water,  and  were  located  by  azimuths  taken  at  minute 
intervals.  Only  one  instrument  was  used,  the  location  of  the  sound¬ 
ing  being  the  intersection  of  the  azimuth  line  with  the  range  line. 
Generally  a  10-pound  lead  was  employed  in  taking  soundings. 

This  method  was  very  satisfactory.  The  boat  used  for  that  pur¬ 
pose,  being  supplied  with  a  rudder,  could  be  kept  on  range  very 
closely,  and  the  error  in  locating  soundings  would  not  exceed  the 
limits  of  the  plotting. 

BORINGS. 

In  order  to  ascertain  the  character  of  material  to  be  excavated, 
extensive  borings  have  been  made  at  intervals  of  1,000  feet  or  less, 
and  in  every  case  where  borings  were  located  within  the  limits  of  the 
proposed  channel  they  are  carried  below  the  depth  of  excavation  or 
to  the  rock  surface.  The  rock  found  in  the  Hudson  River  is  what  is 
known  as  Hudson  River  shale.  The  other  material  met  with  in  the 
river  consisted  of  bowlders,  gravel,  coarse  and  fine  sand,  clay,  and 
silt, 

I  think  that  all  the  material  to  be  removed,  with  the  exception  of 
the  rock  and  bowlders,  can  be  handled  by  pumps.  In  all,  1,385  borings 
were  made,  with  a  total  of  28,965  feet  of  driving,  at  a  cost  of  25.11 
cents  per  linear  foot,  including  the  cost  of  plant.  Borings  were  taken 
on  the  sounding  ranges  and  were  located  by  intersections,  stadia  dis¬ 
tances,  or  by  direct  measurements  from  the  ends  of  the  ranges. 

Nearly  all  the  borings  relating  to  the  investigation  of  the  Hudson 
River  below  the  State  dam  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  were  taken  from  a  cata¬ 
maran  and  scows  constructed  for  that  purpose,  and  the  method 
employed  was  as  follows: 

The  crew  for  each  boring  outfit  generally  consisted  of  1  foreman 
and  3  laborers.  Two  and  one-half  inch  pipe,  commercially  known  as 
“  2^-inch  R.  H.  flush-joint  casing,”  manufactured  in  lengths  from  1 
to  10  feet,  was  lowered  to  the  bed  of  the  river,  and  hollow  rods,  com¬ 
monly  known  as  “I>  drill  rods,”  with  a  cross  bit  attached,  were 
inserted  into  the  casing,  the  upper  end  of  the  rod  being  connected 
with  a  hand  force  pump,  which  was  kept  on  the  scow. 

It  was  the  duty  of  one  man  to  work  the  pump  and  force  water 
through  the  drill  rods,  while  the  other  worked  the  drill  by  hand.  The 
drill  loosened  the  material,  which  was  then  forced  upward  through 
the  casing.  As  the  drill  advanced  into  the  bed  of  the  river  it  was 
followed  by  the  casing. 

Quite  frequently  very  formidable  obstructions  were  encountered  by 
the  drills,  such  as  large  cobblestones  and  bowlders,  and  more  forcible 
measures  had  to  be  resorted  to  in  order  to  pass  them.  When  that 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


5(37 


was  the  case  the  drill  rods  were  removed  from  the  casing  and  one-half 
to  two  sticks  of  40  per  cent  Atlas  powder  were  lowered  into  the  hole, 
having  previously  been  connected  with  a  battery  on  the  scow. 

The  casing  was  then  hoisted  from  4  to  G  feel  above  the  bottom  of 
the  hole  and  the  powder  exploded.  This  plan  would  generally  remove 
the  obstruction  and  the  work  could  be  continued  until  another 
bowlder  was  met  with. 

In  some  of  the  bore  holes  between  Troy  and  Albany  it  would 
require  from  ten  to  thirty  shots  to  advance  below  the  depth  of  exca¬ 
vation  necessary  for  a  30-foot  channel,  or  to  the  surface  of  bed  rock. 

Samples  were  taken  when  the  flow  through  the  casing  indicated 
that  a  different  stratum  was  encountered,  or  when  it  was  considered 
necessary. 

The  total  number  of  samples  collected  is  348. 

The  rock  found  in  the  Hudson  River  is  a  hard  shale  and  dark  in 
color,  and  in  nearly  every  case  when  this  rock  was  encountered  small 
fragments  would  be  forced  through  the  casing;  or,  if  the  flow  after 
shooting  was  lost,  small  pieces  or  fragments  of  the  rock  would  be 
brought  to  the  surface  on  the  end  of  the  drill. 

PLOTTING. 

All  notes  were  plotted  in  the  field  office  as  the  work  progressed. 
The  scale  of  the  maps  was  1 :  5000.  On  the  completion  of  the  field 
work,  a  force  sufficient  to  estimate  the  work  necessary  to  provide  21 
and  30  foot  channels  was  transferred  to  Detroit. 

ALIGNMENT. 

In  locating  the  center  line  of  the  proposed  channel  it  was  the  object 
to  confine  it  as  close  as  possible  within  the  channel  line  as  it  now 
exists,  to  avoid  heavy  rock  cutting,  whenever  possible,  and  limit  the 
degree  of  curvature. 

Following  is  a  tabulated  statement  of  alignment,  including  total 
length  of  curves  and  tangents,  total  curvature  and  maximum  degree 
of  curvature: 


Length. 

Maximum 
degree  of 
curvature. 

Total  cur¬ 
vature. 

Curve. 

Tangent. 

Feet. 

69, 523 

Feet. 

1H,9S2 

o  / 

1  16 

O  / 

485  50 

WIDTH  OF  CHANNELS. 

The  proposed  width  of  the  channel  upon  which  these  estimates  are 


based  is  as  follows: 

Feet. 

From  station  5241-1-18  to  station  5539+40 . . . . .  800 

From  station  5539+40  to  station  5905+80  . ... . . . 400 

From  station  5905+80  to  station  7109  (end) .  . . . .  600 


568 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


CROSS  SECTION. 

The  cross  sections  are  of  the  standard  form  adopted  by  your  Board 
for  river  improvement.  The  side  slopes  in  rock  cuts  are  10  on  1  and 
in  earth  cuts  1  on  2. 

BRIDGES. 

The  river  between  the  State  dam  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  and  the  ocean  is 
obstructed  by  six  bridges. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  BRIDGES. 


- 

Draw- 

span. 

Width 
in  clear 
in  each 
draw. 

Height  of 
bottom 
chord 
abo  ve 
mean 
high 
water. 

(a)  Delaware  and  Hudson  Railroad  bridge  at  Bridge  avenue,  Troy. 

Ft.  in. 

Ft.  in. 

Ft.  in. 

N.  Y  . . . 

198  0 

01  6 

23  0 

(b)  Congress  street  bridge,  Troy,  N.Y . . 

(c)  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  Railroad,  upper  bridge, 

258  0 

104  0 

29  6 

Albanv,  N.  Y . . . — 

(tf)  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  Railroad  passenger 

275  0 

110  7 

33  5 

bridge,  Albany,  N.Y.  a . . . . 

275  0 

115  4 

28  1 

(e )  Lower  bridge,  or  Green  bush  bridge.  Albanv,  N.Y - — - 

(/  )  Poughkeepsie  bridge  at  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y . 

400  0 

109  8 

22  7 
100  0 

a  Since  this  report  was  written  this  bridge  has  been  replaced  by  a  new  one. 


(a)  Railroad,  wagon,  and  passenger  bridge.  Built  of  iron,  on  stone 
piers,  drawpier  on  land  at  east  shore.  The  only  opening  through 
which  boats  ply  in  36  feet  6  inches  in  clear  from  dock  line,  east  shore. 
The  draw  is  opened  by  steam  power.  There  are  four  piers  in  the  main 
channel  of  the  river  east  of  Starbucks  Island,  the  respective  widths 
in  clear  between  piers  being  170  feet  6  inches,  173  feet  6  inches,  173 
feet  6  inches,  and  160  feet  to  east  shore  line  of  Starbucks  Island.  In 
channel  of  the  river  west  shore  line  of  Starbucks  Island  to  first  pier, 
150  feet  5  inches;  between  first  and  second  piers,  177  feet  5  inches, 
and  from  second  pier  to  Green  Island  dock  line,  68  feet  6  inches, 
making  in  all  six  piers  in  the  river.  The  bridge  stands  at  right  angles 
to  the  direction  of  the  stream.  It  was  built  in  1876  by  the  Delaware 
Bridge  Company. 

(b)  A  wagon  and  passenger  bridge  built  of  iron  on  stone  piers,  and 
slightly  oblique  to  the  direction  of  the  stream,  with  double  draw  opened 
by  hand  power.  There  are  two  piers  and  the  drawpier  in  the  river. 
Width  in  clear  from  east  pier  to  dock,  205  feet  3  inches;  width  in  clear 
from  west  pier  to  West  Troy  shore  line,  210  feet.  Built  in  1874. 

(c)  A  railroad  freight  bridge,  built  of  iron  on  stone  piers,  and  at 
right  angles  to  the  direction  of  stream.  It  has  a  double  draw,  opened 
by  steam  power.  There  are  four  piers  and  drawpier  in  the  river; 
respective  widths  in  clear  between  bulkhead  lines,  146,  170,  and  170 
feet,  commencing  at  Columbia  Pier  dock  line.  Built  in  1870. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


569 


{d)  A  railroad  and  passenger  bridge,  built  of  iron  on  stone  piers, 
at  right  angles  to  the  direction  of  the  stream.  It  has  a  double  draw, 
opened  by  steam  power.  There  are  four  piers  and  a  drawpier  in 
the  river;  respective  widths  in  clear,  146  feet  5  inches,  175  feet,  175 
feet,  and  119  feet,  commencing  at  Columbia  Pier  dock  line.  Built  in 
1875. 

(e)  A  wagon  and  passenger  bridge,  built  of  iron  on  stone  piers,  at 
right  angles  to  the  direction  of  the  stream.  It  has  a  double  draw, 
operated  by  steam  power.  There  are  two  piers  and  drawpier  in  the 
river;  width  in  clear  from  west  pier  to  Quay  street  dock  line,  186  feet 
3  inches;  width  in  clear  from  east  pier  to  shore  line  pier,  236  feet  3 
inches.  Built  in  1886. 

(/)  A  railroad  bridge  on  iron  piers,  with  stone  foundations,  at 
right  angles  to  the  stream.  There  are  five  spans,  but  no  drawspan. 
and  four  piers  in  the  river.  Respective  lengths  of  spans,  548,  525, 
546,  525,  and  548  feet,  cantilever  type. 

DAM  AT  TROY,  N.  Y. 

The  legal  height  of  crest  of  dam  is  12.07  feet  above  mean  low  tide 
of  Hudson  River  at  Albany,  N.  Y. 

Crest  of  dam  is  8  feet  below  top  of  masonry  of  sloop  lock. 

The  total  length  of  weir  is  1,100  feet. 

DEPOSIT  OF  WASTE  MATERIAL. 

Generally  all  material  excavated  will  have  to  be  deposited  either  on 
the  shore  or  behind  established  lines,  and  so  protected  that  during 
freshets  it  is  not  carried  into  the  channel;  or  deposited  in  the  river 
at  such  points  as  may  be  selected  by  the  engineer  in  charge  of  the 
improvements.  This  matter  can  be  decided  upon,  however,  when  the 
contemplated  improvement  is  undertaken. 

CHARACTER  OF  MATERIALS  TO  BE  EXCAVATED. 

As  previously  stated,  the  rock  on  this  division  consists  entirely  of 
Hudson  River  shale  and  must  be  excavated  under  water. 

From  the  Troy  dam  to  station  5659  +  50  the  material  above  the  rock 
consists  of  bowlders,  stones,  sand,  gravel,  and  some  clay.  Bowlders 
form  nearly  the  entire  covering  of  the  rock  for  the  first  6,000  feet 
below  the  dam.  For  the  remainder  of  the  distance  to  station  5659  +  50 
the  finer  materials  predominate. 

From  station  5659  +  50  to  the  end  of  the  work  the  excavation  above 
the  rock  will  consist  entirely  of  sand,  fine  gravel,  and  some  clay,  and 
can  be  readily  handled  by  a  pump  dredge. 

QUANTITIES. 

The  following  tables  give  the  estimated  quantities  and  cost  for  both 
the  30  and  21-foot  channels.  The  quantities  from  the  State  dam  to 
H.  Doc.  149 - 36i 


570 


DEEP  WATERWAYS 


the  lower  end  of  the  approach  to  lo£k  No.  1-,  station  5235,  are  included 
with  those  for  the  Hudson  River  division,  Appendix  No.  10. 


THIRTY-FOOT  CHANNEL. 

[Troy  to  Albany,  station  5235  to  station  5659  +  50.] 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Excavation : 

Earth,  wet . . . . . . . cubic  yards.. 

Rock,  wet . . . . — do - 

f  762,117 

\  8,201,433 

2.429.161 

$0.30 

.25 

2.00 

S228, 635 
2,050,358 
4,858,322 

7,137,315 

[Albany  to  junction  with  Normans  Kill  line,  station  5659  +  50  to  station  5757.] 


Excavation,  earth,  wet . cubic  yards. 


Excavation: 
Earth,  wi 


Dikes: 


Total. 


.cubic  yards.. 

3,439,411 

$0. 15 

$515,912 

•ater,  station  5757  to  below  Sycamore 

Point.] 

cubic  yards. . 

48,942,073 
945. 896 

$0. 15 
2.00 

$7,341,311 

1.891,792 

..linear  feet.. 

.cubic  yards. . 

886, 667 
494, 400 
261,208 
67, 660 

.15 
a  30. 00 
.03 
.  75 

133,000 
14,832 
7,836 
50, 745 

S.  439, 516 

SUMMARY. 

For  Champlain  route  only: 

Troy  to  Albany.  . . . . .  $7,137,315 

Albany  to  Normans  Kill . . .  515,912 


Total .  . ' . . .  7,653,227 

Common  to  both  Champlain  and  Oswego-Mohawk  routes,  Normans  Kill  to  deep  water.  9, 439, 516 

TWENTY-ONE  FOOT  CHANNEL. 


[Troy  to  Albany,  station  5235  to  station  5659  +50.] 


Quantity. 

Cost  per 
unit. 

Total. 

Excavation: 

Earth,  wet . cubic  yards.. 

Rock,  wet  . . . . . . . . do.... 

Total . . . . . . . 

/  715, 768 

\  4, 697, 864 

744.709 

$0.30 

.25 

2.00 

$214, 730 
1, 174, 486 
1,489,418 

2,878,014 

[Albany  to  junction  with  Normans  Kill,  station  5659+50  to  station  5757.] 


Excavation,  earth,  wet . . . cubic  yards.. 

1,920,318 

$0. 15 

$288, 048 

[Junction  with  Normans  Kill  line  to  deep  water,  station  5757  to  below  Sycamore  Point.] 

Excavation : 

Earth,  wet . . cubic  yards.. 

Rock,  wet . . . . . . ..do _ 

Dikes: 

Piles . ...linear  feet.. 

Pine . . . feetB.  M._ 

Iron . . . . . . . pounds.. 

Stone . . . cubic  yards.. 

Total . . . 

22,353, 773 
111,126 

886, 667 
494, 400 
261,208 
67, 660 

$0. 15 
2.00 

.15 
a  30. 00 
.03 
.75 

$3,  &53, 066 
222, 252 

133, 000 
14,832 
7,836 
50, 745 

3, 4 1 31 

a  Per  1,000  feet. 


DEEP  WATERWAYS. 


.  571* 


SUMMARY.  • 

For  Champlain  route  only: 

Troy  to  Albany . . . . . . . «■. . . .  $2,878,614 

Albany  to  Normans  Kill.- . . .  . .  238,048 


Total . . . . . . . . .  3,166,662 

Common  to  both  Champlain  and  Oswego-Mohawx  routes,  Normans  Kill  to  deep  water.  3, 781, 731 


Iii  conclusion,  I  wish  to  acknowledge  the  faithful  services  performed 
by  my  assistants,  among  whom  should  be  mentioned  E.  J.  Thomas, 
instrumentman ;  A.  L.  Harris  and  A.  N.  Dunaway,  draftsmen;  A.  W. 
Clark,  recorder,  and  Paul  Beer;  also  the  many  courtesies  received  from 
Mr.  Frederick  W.  Orr,  of  Troy,  and  li.  II.  Talcott,  United  States 
assistant  engineer  at  Albany,  N.  Y. 

Respectfully  submitted.  II.  F.  Dose, 

Assistant  Engineer. 

The  Board  of  Engineers  on  Deep  Waterways, 


4 


r 


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